


Summer of Us, The

by roslinadamasinequanon



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe, Children, Drama, Episode: s01e17 The White House Pro-Am, Episode: s05e20 No Exit, F/M, Family, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-01-02
Updated: 2008-01-02
Packaged: 2019-05-15 05:53:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 37
Words: 207,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14784746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roslinadamasinequanon/pseuds/roslinadamasinequanon
Summary: A second honeymoon to Ireland after their vow renewal ceremony helps Jed and Abbey re-connect and form an even stronger bond after their estrangement due to the kidnapping.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

"You did a good thing here today." Jed wrapped an arm around Abbey's waist and the two gazed out over the White House lawns that had been transformed into an old-fashioned sort of ice cream social with a funky twist. A band played reggae music from a white gazebo that had been set up in the middle of the lawn. Some people were dancing; some were balancing plates of food in their hands, and children dashed around with ice cream cones and balloons. 

"It's been a lot of fun," Abbey agreed. "I think the girls are enjoying themselves." 

"When they let themselves forget they're at the White House." Abbey nodded. She had noticed a decided difference of attitude once the girls had entered the White House grounds with their families. Abbey knew it didn't reflect on her and Jed _per se_. She was as casual as the next person in an teal colored linen sundress and strappy sandals, Jed in khaki shorts and a polo shirt and her children in grass stained shorts and T-shirts, just like all the other children they were running around with. It was the location. The White House. No matter how casual the atmosphere, nobody would truly let his or her guard down. 

"Mumma, can I has some more ice cweam?" Nicholas looked up at his mother. Chocolate ice cream dribbled down his chin and was smeared on the front of his shirt. 

"It looks to me like you've had enough ice cream." She dug in her purse and pulled out the baby wipes and reached out to grab her son just as he made a quick move to dash away. 

"No, Mumma!" Nicky swung his head from side to side trying to avoid the wipe that Abbey was using to cleanse his face. 

"Sit still, Nicholas." 

"Stop it, Mumma, Stoooop." 

"There." Abbey blew the hair up out of her eyes. "That's about the best I can do." 

"Nice to see that the First Lady doesn't have it any easier than the rest of us peons," Lavonna grinned widely. She carried her baby daughter in the pouch of a front pack. 

"You brought the baby." Abbey's smile faded as she noted just how gingerly Lavonna was making her way toward her. "Hey, are you okay?" 

"I'm fine, Dr. B, just a little sore I guess." 

Abbey frowned. She'd read Lavonna's chart. There had been no episiotomy, no tearing with the birth. There was no reason the young woman should be in this much pain almost a couple weeks out. "You should come by the clinic. You shouldn't be experiencing this much pain. Jerry or I should do an exam." 

"It's okay. It's uh...not from having the baby. Denny, well, I know you told me to wait six weeks and then come back for an exam to see if it was okay to have sex, but he didn't want to wait anymore." 

Abbey's eyes widened. She'd heard some selfish things in her lifetime but this one took the cake. "Are you telling me that less than two weeks after giving birth, he made you have sex with him? Does he have any idea what kind of trauma your body went through in childbirth? Some women aren't even healed at six weeks." 

"I know. It made me bleed pretty bad, but he didn't make me. I mean it's not like he forced me. He just said – well, you know – a man's got needs and if I'm not gonna take care of 'em, someone else will." 

Abbey's face registered her shock, while Jed who had overheard the conversation could only shake his head with disgust. 

"Which one is Denny?" Jed asked Abbey after she had found the young woman a nice cushioned seat. Abbey nodded her head toward a gangly, cocky looking youth and Jed made his way over. Coming up behind the boy, he tapped him on the shoulder. 

"Denny?" 

"Yeah, whassup." The cocky tone faded and the boy froze when he saw whom it was that was standing behind him. Jed Bartlet might look like any other yuppie dad in his khaki shorts and polo shirt, but he was still the President of the United States. "Mr. President." 

"Yeah, how ya doin'." He shook the boy's hand. "You got a few minutes, Denny?" 

"Yeah." Denny's eyes searched for Lavonna. She was the one that got him into this mess. An invitation to the White House. He didn't belong here. What the hell would he talk about with the President of the United States, for crying out loud? 

"I'd like to have a man to man conversation with you. However, I have a feeling you aren't quite ready to be a man yet." 

"Sir?" 

"You know that my wife is your girlfriend's doctor." 

"Yeah," Denny began to squirm. 

"Well, I happened to overhear the two women and what I heard was quite upsetting. Your wife just gave a beautiful baby girl, didn't she?" 

Denny grinned. "Tunisia." 

"Were you there when Tunisia was born?" 

"No, sir. I was, well, I had a pick up basketball game going on with some friends." 

"So, while your girlfriend was bringing your child into the world, you were playing a game. Son, I can tell you. I was in there when my children were born and you sure as hell owe your girlfriend a huge debt of gratitude for going through what she did to deliver your little miracle." 

Denny looked at the ground kicking at the grass with the tip of his sneaker, but Jed wasn't going to let him off the hook. "You're a father a now, and that means you have to grow up. It means that you don't go off playing a game when your daughter needs you and it means that you love the mother of your child enough not to HURT her." 

"Hey, I didn't force her to do nothin'. A man's got needs." 

"No? Sounds like you played the petulant little bully to me. Real men don't threaten to find sexual fulfillment elsewhere because the woman they love is still in pain and still healing from birthing their child. Real men don't take satisfaction while they are in fact inflicting pain on the woman they love. And you know what, Denny? About those manly needs of yours, MEN know how to control them. It's little BOYS that don't. You have a family now. It's time to grow up and be a man that both your wife and daughter can look up to and respect. Think about it." Jed squeezed his shoulder and turned just in time to catch Aislinn as she raced toward him with Panda barking at her heels. 

"Hey, Sunshine." He scooped her into his arms and gave her a loud smooching kiss to the cheek. Aislinn giggled. 

"Look what I gots for you." She held out some balloons that had been twisted by a roving clown into what looked like some kind of bird. "It's a eagle 'cause my daddy's a EAGLE." 

Jed chuckled. How many times had his daughter heard the Secret Service agents refer to him by his codename? "That's right, I am an eagle and now this eagle is going to swoop you over to the table 'cause he's getting hungry." 

Aislinn laughed as her father tucked her under her arm and pretended to fly her over to the table. 

"I want a hot gog, Daddy," she told him as he bent to put her down. 

"Okay, I'll get you a hot dog. With ketchup, right?" 

"Lotsa ketchup," she nodded. 

He had prepared the hot dog for his daughter and was filling his own plate when he felt an arm slide around his waist. He glanced down and watched Abbey lay her cheek against his shoulder. 

"You're a good guy, Jed Bartlet." 

"'Course I am. But, you wanna narrow it down for me why I'm getting this accolade now." 

"I overheard Denny and Lavonna while I was putting a Band-Aid on Nicky's knee. He actually apologized to her, well, in his own way. Then he said he wants to be a man she and Tunisia can look up to." 

"Good." Jed bit a scallop off the skewer of scallops wrapped in bacon that he held in his hand. "He was listening to me." 

"He was, and I thank you." She tiptoed up to give him a quick peck on the cheek. "You always have had a way with wayward kids. I still remember back when you helped out at the halfway house. Those boys looked up to you and you were just a college kid then." 

"They looked up to me because I WAS a college kid." 

"No, because you're YOU. You are most definitely a man a wife and children can look up to. I know we always have." 

"Everyone quiet please." Jerry, the man who ran the free clinic, took the microphone and standing on the stairs of the gazebo, he faced the crowd. "First of all, I'd like to thank the President and the First Lady for having us here this afternoon. This has been a wonderful day for all of us – a day I'm sure we will all remember and cherish as a special memory. But, I don't want to forget why we are really here and that is to help Abbey and the President celebrate their upcoming anniversary and renewal of their wedding vows. Now, we haven't known Abbey all that long, but then again it hasn't taken long to see what a caring, compassionate, intelligent woman she is. Already she has made a difference in many of the lives of the young women who are with us here today, and she has certainly made a difference in our lives at the clinic. Now, we didn't quite know what to expect when a doctor, not only of Abbey's caliber, but who is also the First Lady joined our ranks, but I can tell you that no one works harder or expects less special treatment than she does. And, in having the pleasure of getting to know her, it has been a revelation to both see and hear the love that she has for her children and for her husband. It's easy in this day and age to be cynical about love and long term commitments, but to see the spark that lights in Abbey's eyes at just the mention of her husband's name and to hear the warmth in her voice when she speaks of him is enough to give me hope that true love does exist. It exists right here before us. Ladies and gentlemen, please raise your glasses to the President and his First Lady." 

"To the President and First Lady." The cheer arose. Standing at the back of the lawn, the President's arm tightened around his First Lady's waist and he bent to tenderly kiss her cheek. 

**** 

"A Catholic preschool? Why Catholic?" 

"Why not?" Jed lifted a brow at CJ. 

"I'M not questioning you. I'm telling you what I'm being asked in the pressroom. Why Immaculate Heart of Mary?" 

"Because Abbey visited six highly recommended preschools and I joined her for four of those visits. IHM is the one we chose." 

"Sir," CJ took a deep breath trying to fight her frustration. It was times like these that it was difficult to work for Jed Bartlet, a man who believed his personal life should not have any connection to his political life. 

"Look, CJ, it's a pre-school that happens to be run through the church. The school is considered one of the best in the city and it does not discriminate in any way. Some of the kids that go to school there are wealthy but many are not. Half of the student body is there through the governmental aid package that WE passed through Congress. The teachers–" 

"Jed." Abbey placed a hand on his arm. "We picked it because WE are Nicholas and Aislinn's parents and it is the school that we deemed was the safest and best choice for them." 

"Okay, well..." CJ could see from the firmness in Abbey's eyes that the conversation was over. Nothing more would be forthcoming, and in her heart she knew that was how it should be. "Good answer, ma'am." 

"The truth will do it every time." 

CJ nodded and got up to leave the Residence. Abbey watched her leave then moved to slip the kids' medical records into her briefcase. When they didn't fit right away, Jed and Nora watched her try to jam them in with frustrated shoves until she finally threw the briefcase down on the couch. 

"You wanna tell me what's bugging you?" Jed asked. 

"What do you think is bugging me? When do they get to be OUR kids, Jed? I mean from almost the moment they were conceived, people have been questioning our every move when it comes to them." 

"I think it's just that people really care about them, Abbey." Nora tried to placate her angry cousin. 

"I know they care about them, Nora, but you have no idea of what it's been like. The second CJ announced that we were pregnant, people started betting on where the babies were conceived. My entire pregnancy was played out in the press: how much weight I was gaining, was it too much or not enough, why weren't we going to find out the sex of the babies before they were born, would I be breast-feeding or bottle-feeding, would it be a natural childbirth and would Jed be there with me, were we taking Lamaze classes. On and on it went. After I gave birth, I had women writing to me to tell me how wonderful it was that I had a natural delivery without pain medication; but I had equally as many women writing to me to say that I made them feel inferior because they'd had to resort to drugs, as if anyone else's birth was any of MY business. There were debates in the press over our decision to circumcise Nicholas and our decision to use disposable diapers and about whether I'd breast-fed the two of them long enough when I weaned them at nine months. I KNOW that people have come to love them and that's wonderful, it really is. But, you know it's hard enough to be a parent without the entire world second-guessing your every move. And, I suppose I wish they'd just try to remember that WE are the parents here." 

Jed sat down next to her on the couch and took her hand. "I know it's hard, babe. We never had to go through this that much with the girls." He turned to Nora. "The girls were all in school when I became governor and it was a small state. Nobody paid much attention to their comings and goings unless they were involved in something like a horse show. But, you know, Abbey," he turned back to his wife, "there are two people who know that we are Nicholas and Aislinn's parents and they are the two most important ones, in fact the only ones that really matter." 

Abbey's eyes lifted to meet his and a smile touched her lips. "Nicholas and Aislinn?" 

"You got it, toots. Now, come on." He hopped to his feet and turned to give her his hand. "I hear there is a big soiree tonight in the Rose Garden. Anyone who's anyone is going to be there." 

"Is that what you hear?" 

"That's what I hear." 

"Well, then what are we waiting for. Let's go get dressed." 

**** 

Ron Ehrlich stepped through the doors of the West Wing and out to the White House Rose Garden with his wife Claire by his side, but not exactly on his arm. They had quietly and amicably separated months ago. However, he had known how much it would mean to her to attend the most anticipated party in Washington. While most of the country was looking ahead to the upcoming vow renewal ceremony, inside the Beltway it was this party that had been creating all the buzz. 

"Look at all this. It's beautiful," Claire breathed. 

Ron nodded. It was a beautiful early summer night, warm with just a slight breeze off the Potomac. Tiny lights decorated the trees and shrubs and candles flickered on the many white linen covered tables. An orchestra was playing at one end of the garden and a dance floor had been set up in front of it. People milled about with champagne flutes and wineglasses that they eagerly set down to be able to clap when the legendary Celine Dion took the stage. 

"I can't tell you how honored I was to be asked by the President and the First Lady, not only to perform for you here tonight, but also to share and participate in their special ceremony next week. There is nothing more important in the world than love and it's wonderful to be able to be here and share in celebrating the wonderful love affair of our President and First Lady. I have been told by the First Couple that they first met while they were in college and that it was love at first sight. To that end they have requested that I start the dancing tonight with, appropriately enough, 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face', Mr. President." Celine nodded to the President. 

Ron's eyes were riveted to the dance floor as Jed Bartlet led Abbey out. She wore a champagne colored strapless gown trimmed in gold that glittered in the candle light along with the diamonds she wore on her slender throat and that dangled from her ears. Her hair was loose and allowed to tumble over her bare shoulders in glistening auburn waves. She was absolutely breathtaking. More beautiful now than she had been in college. He watched Jed, debonair in his tuxedo, place his hand proprietarily on the small of her back then pull her to him and the thousand watt smile that Abbey beamed at him. He'd watched them dance together before of course. But tonight as they celebrated their union, it somehow seemed more poignant and he couldn't help but think that once, a long time ago, Abbey had belonged to him. Oh, he wasn't a fool. He knew that she'd never belonged to him in the way that she belonged to Jed. But once it had been he who'd held her in his arms and danced with her. And. if she never once had looked at him with the love that shone on her face the way that it did when she looked up at Jed, he could live with that. 

As Celine's beautiful voice filled the night air with her ode to falling in love and the President began to move with his First Lady in his arms, people crowded toward the edge of the dance floor to watch them. 

> " _The first time ever I saw your face_  
>  I thought the sun rose in your eyes   
> And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave   
> To the dark and the empty skies, my love 
> 
> The first time ever I kissed your mouth   
> I felt the earth move through my hand   
> Like the trembling heart of a captive bird   
> That was there––at my command––my love 
> 
> And the first time, ever I lay with you   
> I felt your heart so close to mine 
> 
> The first time ever I saw––-   
> your face, your face, your face.   
> Your face"   
>    ( _The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face_ by Ewan MacColl)

"He sure is a handsome man." Claire was caught up in the romance of the evening. 

Ron shrugged dispassionately and watched as the President gently kissed Abbey's cheek as the dance ended. It bugged him that Jed Bartlet still had nearly the same head of thick bronze hair that he'd had in college. Instinctively, his hand moved to the skin on his scalp that seemed to show more and more as the years moved on. Of course that hadn't happened to Jed. No receding hairline for the most powerful man in the world, he thought with disgust before mentally kicking himself to dismiss the old feelings of resentment and jealousy that had dominated his entire being after Jed had "stolen" Abbey from him. He was a mature adult with two grown children. He was the Federal Reserve chairman and yet when he was in the same room with Jed Bartlet, he still felt like that twenty-one year old boy who had lost the woman he loved to another man. Still, he had a role to play here. This was a political party and instead of sitting and sulking, he began to play the crowd shaking hands and patting backs. And if his eyes were drawn to the beautiful woman with the long strawberry colored hair, well so were damn near every other man's present, so he was not alone in his appreciation. 

It was only much later that Ron had an encounter with Abbey. She was seated at a table taking a breather from all the dancing. He smiled when he noticed through the long slit in the skirt of her gown that she had kicked off her shoes. Quickly he glanced around and saw that Jed was dancing with his youngest adult daughter. He watched them for a moment, Jed and the child that he shared with Abbey. The girl had Abbey's light auburn hair but without the waves and it was obvious that the daughter adored the father as much as her mother did. He watched Zoey laugh at something Jed said, then turned to moved toward Abbey's table. 

"Ron, hi." Abbey smiled at him with surprise. 

"Hi, congratulations." He bent to kiss her cheek. 

"Thank you." 

On the dance floor, Zoey felt her father's hand clench around hers as he spun her around. "Dad, I'm not going anywhere. Could you ease up on crushing my hand?" 

"Oh, sorry, honey." But Jed's attention was no longer on his daughter, it was on a table a few feet off the dance floor where his wife now sat with Ron Ehrlich. 

"So." Ron leaned forward. "Big day next week." 

"Yeah, it is. We're really excited about it." 

"Do you ever think about..." Ron trailed off. 

"About what?" 

"About how things might have been different if you hadn't met Jed. If maybe you had come back to me." 

Abbey looked surprised. 

"I guess not," he gave an embarrassed little laugh. 

"Ron, you know that wasn't going to happen, even if I hadn't met Jed. We were just a couple of teenagers dating. We never had that right chemistry." 

"I'm sorry. I know this isn't the place to get into this. I suppose I just always saw you as the one who got away. I know you didn't feel the same but you were my first love and what I felt for you as a teenage boy was, not stronger, but more intense than any love I've felt except for my children." 

"Ron." Now it was Abbey's turn to be embarrassed. She hadn't meant to get drawn into this conversation. "I was not the right woman for you any more than you were the right man for me. You didn't really love me. You were infatuated with me and very sexually attracted to me and the fact that I wouldn't sleep with you made me all the more alluring. But you didn't love all the things about me that made me, 'me'. You hated the time I took on my studies and you were never behind my dreams to be a doctor. To love someone you have to love everything about them, not just their body." 

She smiled at the flush that rose in his face and sipped from her glass of champagne. "And, this really is not an appropriate conversation for us to be having here. You've been married to Claire for a very long time. You love her." 

"I did." 

"What do you mean 'you did'?" 

"Claire and I are separated." 

"Oh, Ron, I'm sorry to hear that. Are you okay?" 

"I am. It was a mutual decision. There were no big arguments. There is no on else. We simply fell out of love. We were in love when we got married, but after a while we lived more like friends than anything else – my life revolving around my work, hers around the children. There might not have been a lot of passion, but it was comfortable. We were happy enough. But, then a few years ago our youngest, Michelle, went off to college and left us alone together in our empty nest and we realized that we had nothing to say to each other. Our lives and interests had diverged and we hadn't even noticed." Ron noted the sadness that filled Abbey's eyes. "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring you down. You're celebrating tonight. You shouldn't be listening to my woes." 

"It's okay. I'm sorry that your marriage worked out that way for you." Abbey laid her hand over his and on the dance floor, Leo watched Jed's jaw clench dangerously. 

Ron gazed across the table at the stunning woman before him. Abbey was one of those lucky few women who actually grew lovelier as they got older. Her pretty jade green eyes still danced with life. Her smile still lit her face and that gorgeous long hair was still as fiery as it had been in college. The years had only added to her beauty giving her poise and confidence and sophistication. And Jed, or rather carrying Jed's babies, had given her those creamy fuller breasts the tops of which were revealed by her strapless gown. Probably she was right about how things had been back in college. He'd been far more interested in trying to get her into bed than he had been in her feelings, hopes, and dreams. He still regretted that he'd never had the opportunity to do so and that she'd gone to Jed a virgin. 

"You and Jed never lost the passion, did you?" he asked. 

A light blushed touched Abbey's cheeks. "No, we never have." 

"Aislinn and Nicholas are beautiful by the way," he grinned. 

"Thank you," Abbey smiled wryly. "They look like Jed." 

"Oh, I see quite a bit of you in there too. You've been happy, haven't you?" 

"I really have. You know how fast and how hard I fell for Jed." 

"Unfortunately I do," he grumbled good-naturedly. 

"Well, I've never stopped loving him. He's given me the most extraordinary life, five beautiful children and everything I could have dreamed of and more." 

"I'm happy for you. You deserve the best and I'm sorry I was such a bastard to you back then." 

"It was a long time ago. We were all kids." 

The song ended and a smoldering Jed kissed his daughter's cheek then turned to leave the dance floor. Leo fell in step beside him. 

"Did you see him sit with her, Leo?" Jed seethed. 

"I did and I'm telling you do NOT make a scene here." 

"I'm not making any guarantees." 

"Abbey." Jed's hand lay possessively on her shoulder. 

"Hey, babe." She knew before even looking at him that he was not going to be pleased. She wasn't wrong. When she smiled up at him she noted that his jaw was clenched and his eyes steely. 

"Hello, Ron," he grit out. 

"Mr. President." 

There was a silent, awkward moment, the tension so thick you could part it with a knife. It reminded Abbey of the time after she had started dating Jed and Ron had tried desperately to win her back. There had been such anger and jealousy between the two testosterone filled young men as they had fought over her. And now, decades later there was still a residual resentment there. Abbey supposed that if that hadn't changed by now it never would and she would just have to accept that. It didn't bother her all that much, after all, she and Ron had hardly remained friends over the years – more acquaintances that through similar careers met every once in a while. And, to be honest, the feminine side of her enjoyed seeing a spark of jealousy in her husband's eyes every once in a while – provided he didn't go overboard, of course. 

At the first bars of "I Can't Help Falling in Love With You", Jed turned to look at the band. Sure enough, there was Leo trying to get them out of this uncomfortable situation without any kind of scene. Leave it to Leo, always the peacemaker. 

"They're playing our song," Jed said. "Would you dance with me?" 

"I'd love to." And, for his benefit, to show his blessedly insecure heart that she loved him, she took the hand that lay on her shoulder and lifted it to her lips for a quick loving kiss of solidarity. 

Taking a swallow from his glass of champagne, Ron watched them head for the dance floor – Jed's arm wrapped tightly around Abbey's tiny waist. 

Jed didn't say a word as he pulled Abbey in close to his chest and she could feel the tightness in the stiff way that he held himself. He was angry. 

"Jed, don't do this," she finally said. 

"I'm not doing anything but dancing with you." 

"You know what I mean. You're pissed because I was sitting with Ron, but please don't ruin tonight over something that insignificant." 

Jed didn't say a word; just took her hand and led her off the dance floor and around behind the band and a row of hedges, indicating to the Service they were to be left alone. 

"Okay," Abbey sighed. "Let me have it." 

"I'm not going to yell at you, Abigail. I'm just going to ask you why the hell you were sitting holding hands with your ex-boyfriend at a party that is supposed to honor our years together." 

Abbey would have reacted with anger had she not seen the hurt that lurked in Jed's beautiful blue eyes. "I was NOT holding hands with him, Jed. I laid my hand over his. I was trying to comfort him. He's depressed. He and Claire just separated. Empty nest syndrome. I felt sorry for him and YOU should feel sorry for him too and not only because of that, but because you were the one who won my heart and my body and you are the President of the United States. Give the guy a break." 

"I didn't want him her in the first place. He just presses my buttons, Abbey. You know that. He worked pretty damn hard to break you and me up back in college and, you know, he said some things about you that I will never forgive him for." 

"He was hurt, angry and humiliated when he called me a cocktease in front of that whole restaurant, Jed." 

"I know that but it doesn't make it any better in my book. Look, I'm sorry, I don't want to ruin tonight. I don't want to let HIM ruin tonight. I guess it's the curse of being married to a beautiful woman. It can make you crazy at times." 

Abbey stroked her husband's cheek. She'd always loved that chivalrous streak that ran through him when it came to her honor. "You know what he said about his marriage?" she asked. "He said that when their youngest child left the house, he and Claire realized that they had nothing left to say to each other. Do you know how many times I've heard that? We're so lucky, Jed. We'll never run out of things to say to each other, will we?" 

"Us?" Jed chuckled. "No way, babe. You just try shutting me up." 

"Maybe I will." Abbey reached up to hook her hand around his neck and she pulled his head down, her lips covering his in a deep full kiss while the band played on. 

> _Like a river flows surely to the sea_  
>  Darling so it goes   
> some things are meant to be. 
> 
> Take my hand, take my whole life too   
> for I can't help falling in love with you.   
> For I can't help falling in love with you.   
>    (Can't Help Falling in Love by George Weiss, Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore)


	2. Chapter 2

Her back was to him when he entered the room. She was on the telephone twirling a strand of long hair around her finger while she talked and was wearing a pair of worn faded denim cutoffs and a clingy camisole styled top that molded to her delicate curves like a second skin. A week was definitely more than long enough to be separated from her. Jed Bartlet moved up behind his wife and kissed the satin smooth skin of her shoulder where the spaghetti strap of her shirt had fallen away down her arm. She didn't jump, so he knew that she'd heard him enter. She leaned back against him as he began to nuzzle into her neck and to slide his hands over her breasts. She continued talking but Jed knew he was distracting her and took delight in that. He felt her fingernails dig into his forearm and heard the hitch in her breath when he gentle squeezed her hardened nipple between his thumb and forefinger, his other hand continuing to knead the soft mound of her other breast. 

"Yes, of course." Abbey spoke into the phone but Jed took the yes in an entirely different way and slipped his hand up under her camisole top to caress her warm bare skin. She covered the receiver and whispered to him, "Not YOU," and pushed his hand away. Jed merely chuckled and suckled in the soft skin of her neck. Abbey allowed that to continue but when his hand moved to slip into the front of her denim shorts, she shoved his hand away and turned from him to end the call. After she hung up, he approached her again. 

"Hold on, Romeo." She held up a hand. 

"Hey," he pouted. "What kind of a welcome is this? I haven't seen you in a week." Abbey had left early for Maine with Zoey and the twins to make last minute preparations. 

"I'd love to welcome you home properly." She wrapped her arms around his waist. "But, I've got my period so that isn't happening right now." 

"Oh." 

Abbey gave a soft laugh at the dejected slump to her husband's shoulders. "Hey, be thankful I have it now and not while we're in Ireland. That might have put a damper on some of the recreational activities we have planned." 

Jed grinned and nodded his head in agreement. "So, who was on the phone anyway?" 

"Oh, that. Well, I have some good news. The Embassy was able to locate some distant cousins of ours. They contacted one, a Maeve O'Flynn Donahue, who instead of just being interested in meeting us, was wondering if we'd be like to attend a big family gathering – a ceili she called it. She said she'd invite all your local distant Irish cousins along with some of my O'Neill relatives from the embassy list she was given. I guess my family is scattered more over the north while your grandmother was right, yours is centered in Kerry. Anyway, I told the guy at the Embassy that we would really love to be a part of something like that." 

"Discovering our roots?" 

"Absolutely." Abbey looked down at her watch. "I was just getting ready to go start supper but I also have some last minute things that I want you to look over." 

"Bring whatever it is down to the kitchen and I'll go over it there. Have you talked to Tom recently?" 

"This morning. We went over exactly the way that you and I want the service to go and I explained to him that we want it to be a religious and spiritual rejoining as well as a physical one. I think he was really pleased by that. Anyway, he'll be over before the ceremony to do a run through." 

"Good. And, I did remember my contribution to this shindig." He dug into his pocket and pulled out a velvet box. Abbey took it and opened it to see the new wedding band he had given her to wear along with her original which he had sent out along with his own band to be engraved. She took the ring out of its bed and slipped her glasses on to look at the delicate swirling engraving on the inside. 

" _Mei amor aeternus eternus_ ," Jed said in perfect Latin, then translated. "My love, eternal, everlasting, without end." 

Abbey gazed up at him her eyes now shiny. She took his hand, gazing at the wedding band she had put on his finger so many years ago. "You had yours done too, didn't you?" 

He nodded. "As you requested. But," his shoulders shrugged a little sheepishly, "even though I know we'll be exchanging them again at the ceremony I couldn't stand not having it on. My finger felt too bare. So, I'll take it off right before the ceremony for Nicholas to carry on his pillow." 

Abbey lifted the hand she still held and kissed the back of it. 

"What was that for?" he asked. 

"Just because. Because you're so sweet and so old fashioned and I just love you to pieces." Jed's stomach took that moment to give a soft rumble. Abbey chuckled. "I guess that's my cue to get supper going." 

"What are we having?" 

"I had Ned's deliver some haddock fillets this afternoon. Fresh off the boat." 

Jed nodded. That was one of the benefits of being President – the fish market did not generally deliver to its customers. "Sounds good to me." He was gazing down at the menu for the reception that Abbey had worked on with the White House chef. "Just looking at all this mouth watering food is making me hungry." 

"Well, then, Mr. President. Let's go eat." 

**** 

Jed lay on the worn wicker sofa that graced the wide porch facing the sea. It was early morning and the sun was just starting to add its warmth to the day. Max lay stretched out on the floor beside him and one of his hands dangled down over the side to scratch the big dog behind the ear. Ignored by the children, who were busy playing zoo with their little animal figures on the floor, Panda was curled up on his bare feet. He was relaxed and content. The sound of the surf and the calls of the seagulls along with Abbey's beautiful voice singing while she baked a blueberry buckle for breakfast nearly lulled him back to sleep. But, he was too responsible to allow that to happen. When he'd tried to help with breakfast, Abbey had shooed him out to the porch and put him on "keep the twins out of my hair" duty. He knew the request for what it was. A ruse to get him out here to relax and unwind. Since the incident with the faux tularemia release and her subsequent time spent with Leo, she had been even more insistent in trying to make sure that he had some downtime to relax. 

"Mmm...something smells good." Leo inhaled the aroma of fresh brewed coffee and grinned at the sight of Jed lazing around in his sweats and T-shirt surrounded by dogs and kids. 

"Uncle Leo." Aislinn and Nicholas scrambled to their feet. Both children still wore their bathrobes and slippers, their blond hair still sleep tousled. They were, as always, so adorable it could make his heart catch, especially when they smiled up at him flashing delighted dimples. 

Jed shook his head as he took in the appearance of his dapper best friend. "Leo, it's eight o'clock in the morning. We're on vacation. What are you doing all dressed up and no place to go?" 

Leo looked down at his white slacks, dress shirt and lavender sport coat and grinned at Jed. "This is casual. I don't have a tie on. Besides we can't all be lazy slobs. Someone has to uphold the dignity of the office." 

"Leo." Abbey stood in the doorway looking as fresh and pretty as a spring morning. Her long bright auburn hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she wore a beautiful emerald green silk bathrobe that brought out the green in her lovely eyes. To many it would have been a revelation to see the First Family in such a casual atmosphere, but to Leo, their friend, it was nothing out of the ordinary. 

"Good morning, Abbey. Something from your kitchen smells absolutely divine." 

"Coffee and blueberry buckle. It's just about ready, please come in and join us for breakfast. Or, are you here to take Jed away for his NSA briefing." 

"It can wait until after breakfast. I'd love a nice big slice of your famous blueberry buckle." 

"Well then, kids, I want you to pick up your toys then come in and wash up for breakfast." 

Once in the kitchen, Jed began pouring coffee while Abbey sliced the buckle. 

"Any big plans for today?" Leo asked. 

"We're taking the kids clamming this morning," Jed said. "Want to join us?" 

Leo's face registered his distaste. The out of doors was a place that he only liked to venture out into when he was moving from one place to the next. He'd never understood the 'back to nature' gene that was so strong in his two closest friends. 

"I take it that's a negative," Jed laughed. He hadn't expected Leo to jump at the idea of wading through clam-flats in old worn sneakers and clothes to rake through the muck for clams. 

"Don't worry, we'll still let you eat some tonight, even if you don't partake in the foraging." Abbey placed a plate in front of him at the kitchen table. 

"But, after lunch, while the twins nap, we were thinking of playing a little tennis. Why don't you round CJ up and we'll play some doubles." 

Leo looked as if he were about to refuse until Abbey's eyes focused on him intently. "It will be good for you, Leo. Fresh air and exercise." 

"Just say 'yes ma'am' and pull out your tennis whites," Jed told him. "You know that no matter how many battles you think you've won, she'll always win the war." 

"So, is that how it is now?" Leo's lips twitched with amusement. "You've given up on the battles." 

"Hell no." Jed snaked an arm around Abbey's waist and pulled her in close to him. "The battles are where the fun is." 

**** 

Walking along the beach toward the low tide mudflats, Abbey and Jed held hands and watched their eager children race before them, tender parental smiles warming their faces. Slathered in sunscreen and wearing faded denim clamdiggers, old converse sneakers and T-shirts with big floppy sun hats covering their fair heads, the children walked several paces ahead carrying their little clam rakes and buckets. Abbey paused every so often to snap their pictures with the state of the art digital camera Liz and Doug had given her for Christmas, while Jed tossed pieces of driftwood for the dogs to chase and remarked to himself at how much Aislinn was like Abbey. Nicholas enjoyed the beach, but Aislinn loved it with a passion. He watched his daughter wade out to the edge of the waves, then run back toward them with a shriek and fits of giggles as the waves broke. She was in her element as much as the beautiful woman at his side was. He knew how much spending time by the ocean recharged his wife's batteries and lifted her spirits and it seemed that it was going to do the same for their daughter. 

Once they got to the mucky flats, Abbey inhaled deeply. The scent of the marsh and decay was so strong here, an elixir to her soul. The family waded into the ankle and calf deep water that covered the mud and Abbey and Jed showed the children how to use their rakes to find the clams then put them in the buckets and the thrill of the hunt was on. Squeals of excitement heralded the find of each clam the children dug out with the help of their parents. They kept at it, the sun shining on their shoulders, until the tide turned and the ocean began reclaiming the flats. 

Back at the cottage, Emily Bartlet had just arrived and watched her son and daughter-in-law coming up the path from the beach. Soaked and filthy, they each had one of her youngest two grandchildren on their shoulders and buckets of clams dangling from their fingers. 

"Hello, Mother." Jed set Nicholas down and moved to greet his mother. 

"Josiah Bartlet, you are a stinking mess. Do not even THINK about kissing my cheek." The warning was given without her usual severity; in fact, amusement seemed to shine in her eyes. 

Encouraged by the relationship that had developed between him and his mother since he had been shot, a twinkle sparkled in his eye. "Aw, Mother, what's a little dirt?" And without much ado he bent to kiss her cheek. 

"Josiah!" she gasped. 

"Aw, Gammy, it's just a wittle dirt," Nicholas assured her. 

"It's more than a little dirt," Abbey told her youngest. "You and your sister are caked with it and you won't be traipsing it into the house. Come on, let's go to the shower stalls and take some quick showers." 

"I don't want to, Mommy. It's COLD in there." Aislinn had not gotten used to the idea of a shower without hot water. 

"I know it is, but we'll be quick." 

Jed and Abbey pulled their reluctant offspring down to the shower stalls and amidst shrieks of protest managed to wash them up reasonably well, then much to their delight, they were sent naked up to the porch to be taken in hand by Zoey who had said she would dry them up and dress them. Only then did Abbey and Jed turn their attention to themselves, stripping off their clothes and quickly washing each other. 

"Do you remember the time we spent here right after the twins were born?" Jed asked. 

"How could I forget?" Abbey smiled at the memory. Aislinn and Nicholas had only been six months old. She was still nursing them, and they'd had some of the hottest, raw, animalistic sex of their marriage right here on the hard floor of this shower stall. Then, covered in sweat and the muskiness of their combined body fluids, her milk leaking from her nipples, they had washed each other. Her body began to throb with the memory and when she glanced down she noticed that Jed's swollen penis was sharing her erotic thoughts. 

"How long?" he bit out. 

"I should be finished tomorrow. But, you know I was thinking. This may sound a little old fashioned, but maybe we should wait to make love until after the ceremony. You know what abstinence does to our sex life." 

Jed looked down. "It's called pain, Abigail." Abbey lifted a brow at him and he shrugged with a sigh. "So, three more days?" 

Abbey nodded and her eyes fell to where she knew her husband was in discomfort. "But, I could take care of that for you right now in another way." She started to go down to her knees but Jed stopped her. 

"No, if you can hold out, I can hold out. I want it to be special too." He glanced down at his penis. "It's only three more days. We can do this." 

Abbey chuckled. "I don't think he's listening." 

"He never does," Jed sighed. And with a flick of the wrist, he turned on the cold water shutting up Old Hickory with a muffled curse and his wife's laughter ringing in his ears. 

Sitting in the living room reading a magazine, Emily watched her son and daughter-in-law enter the house wearing nothing but their towels wrapped around their torsos. She shook her head as they made their way up the stairs to their bedroom to change. 

"This place is no better than a nudist colony," she muttered to herself. 

**** 

"We kicked your butt, Bartlet, get over it." Abbey walked ahead swinging her tennis racket in her hand. 

"You knew exactly what you were doing when you decided on girls against the guys." 

"I don't have any idea what you're talking about." Abbey's innocent words belied the enticing sway of her hips in the extremely short white tennis skirt that she wore. 

"That's EXACTLY what I'm talking about." He reached out to prod her sweet little rear with his racket. "All that bending over to pick up the balls and lifting your skirt to examine your thigh where the ball hit it. I'm onto you, toots." 

"It's not my fault you have a problem with focusing." 

"I have no problem focusing, honey buns. My problem is when a foxy lady such as yourself is flashing her incredible legs and swaying her luscious hips and rear at me. I'm a red blooded American man, Abigail Anne, and don't you forget it." 

"Three more days and I'll expect you to be proving that to me." 

"Okay, you two," Leo turned back to look at the bickering duo. "More information than CJ and I need to know." 

"Mommy! Daddy! Look!" Fresh from their naps, Nicholas and Aislinn raced down the path to greet them grabbing their hands and pulling them along. "You play with us." 

Ellie and Sam had arrived while they were on the tennis courts and the two of them along with Zoey had transformed the lawn for a croquet match. Abbey, Jed, CJ and Leo decided to join in on the game that had yet to start. 

Abbey stood behind Jed watching him in the baggy Notre Dame basketball shorts and T-shirt that he'd chosen to play tennis in – no sissy white tennis shorts and shirt for him – as he took his position with his mallet, preparing to hit the ball as if it were a golf match. She loved her husband in shorts, loved to watch the muscles in his powerful tanned calves flex, the sun shining on the coarse bronze hair that covered his legs. The unruly lock of sandy hair that he'd always had trouble containing fell across his forehead and Abbey couldn't resist the urge to push it back for him. 

"Hey, Mr. President, watch how you wiggle that gorgeous butt," she said softly to him and gave said rear a soft pinch. "You're going to throw me off my game." 

"Serves you right. Payback's a bitch, sweet knees." 

Emily sat at a small patio table set up on the lawn sipping iced tea and watching her family play. At one point, Nicholas took a mighty swing at the ball and completely missed it. Rather than being upset with the boy as his own father might have been, Jed merely starting laughing, a great belly laugh that was so infectious it got Nicholas giggling so hard that he fell to the ground grasping his belly. Jed followed him down kneeling before him and began tickling him, which caused the boy to shriek even louder with laughter until he finally began to protest. 

"Daddy, stop it! Stop it! I'm gonna pee pee! I gotta go pee pee!" 

Jed stopped tickling him and pulled him to his feet. "You really gotta go?" 

Nicholas nodded and grabbed at himself doing what he and Abbey referred to as the "pee pee dance". 

"Well, then let's get you to the bathroom, boy." He scooped Nicholas up over his shoulder and began to make an exaggerated dash to the house. 

Emily swallowed past the lump in her throat as she thought about how different Jed's relationship was with own son, compared to the relationship that he'd had with his own father. The fun, loving way that he was with Nicholas was in no way like the stern, cool way John had been with him. In fact, she couldn't remember a day in which John had simply had fun with Jed. For some reason he'd had it in his head that to be a good father meant to be a good teacher and disciplinarian. He had never simply enjoyed his boys. Every outing had to be a learning experience and while she saw shades of that in Jed, the fact that he could laugh, tease and simply play with his children made him so much more than just a father to his children. 

Abbey noticed the sad look on her mother-in-law's face as she watched Jed and Nicholas disappear into the house. She set down her croquet mallet and went to sit down next to her. 

"He's an amazing father," she said, as she poured herself a tall glass of iced tea. 

"What?" Emily never liked people being able to read her inner thoughts on her face. 

"Your son. He's an amazing father." 

"Yes, he is, isn't he?" 

"I couldn't have asked for a better man to father my children." Abbey smiled as she heard more laughter coming from the house a feeling of contentment settling over her. 

**** 

Later in the early evening, Abbey was in the kitchen with Ellie, Zoey, and Liz, who had arrived a couple of hours earlier with her family. Water boiled on the stove for the steamers and corn on the cob; the fresh clam chowder was bubbling and Abbey was shaping burgers on a cutting board. 

"Where is Nora?" Elizabeth asked. 

"She's staying with Maggie right now. They don't live that far and since she and Matt got married and adopted Abigail she's been helping her out with the new baby." 

"I still think it's really great that she was able to adopt Abigail." Ellie was slicing onions and tomatoes for the burgers while she talked. 

"Me too. It all really worked out for the best. I got a letter from Alison and one from her aunt and it sounds like she's really settling in. The counseling has been helping her a lot. Anyway, Nora will be here tomorrow with Will, Maggie, Matt and the baby. Will runs a charter business in the summer doing whale watches and he's promised to take us all out on the _Abigail Anne_ to spend the day looking for whales." 

"Mommy," Aislinn called out as she entered the kitchen. "Daddy say to tell you that he's HUNGWY." 

"Really," Abbey lifted a brow. "Well if he's that hungry, tell him to get his cute little derriere in here to get the burgers to grill." 

"Okay." 

Aislinn stepped out onto the porch then ran across the lawn to where Jed, Sam and Doug were tossing back cold beer while Leo sipped his iced tea. 

"Daddy, Mommy says to get your cute little damniere inside to get da burgers." 

The men around him began to laugh as Jed shook his head. 

"No deferential treatment here, eh?" Sam laughed. 

"I think you've been around my wife enough to know that pulling rank would not be in my best interest." Jed lifted Aislinn onto his hip and headed off across the lawn and into a kitchen bustling with activity. 

"So, what exactly did you want with my cute little damniere?" he asked his wife. 

"What?" Abbey stopped slicing the watermelon to look at him with confusion. 

"Aislinn told me that you wanted my cute little damniere in here to get some burgers." 

Abbey laughed. "Well it is a cute damn rear but what I said was to get your cute little derriere in here to get the burgers if your so darn hungry." 

"Where's the platter?" 

Abbey pointed to heaping platter of raw hamburgers then to a plate of sliced cheese. "Everyone wants cheeseburgers except for Doug. He wants two plain hamburgers." 

"Always has to be different, doesn't he?" Jed rolled his eyes. "And, let me guess. This is for Aislinn." He picked up the hot dog with tongs and waved it Abbey. 

"What do you think?" she smirked. 

"I think she doesn't want a cheesebooger, she wants a hot gog." 

Abbey chuckled. "You got it, babe." 

Supper that evening was eaten outside on picnic tables and consisted of bowls of hot clam chowder, cheeseburgers, potato salad, steamed clams, corn on the cob, watermelon and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. 

Then later when everything was cleaned up and twilight descended over the Maine coast, Abbey and Jed took their coffee out on to the porch. They sat side by side on the porch swing holding hands as they watched their children run around the lawn in their summer pajamas. Fresh from their baths, their hair still damp and their skin still dusted with baby powder, Aislinn and Nicholas chased after fireflies with Gus while Panda danced at their heels. There were so few moments when the First Family could actually forget that they were the First Family that both Abbey and Jed relished the normalcy of it all. Only here at the coast or at the farm could they even remotely feel that way; for this way of life was a part of them long before they were the President and First Lady. 

Abbey curled up against Jed resting her head peacefully on his shoulder while she sipped her coffee. They stayed that way for a long time only moving when the exhausted twins decided that they wanted to crawl up between them to cuddle. Each child snuggled to a parent, their little bodies pressed tightly into their embrace. Abbey sang softly to them smoothing sweaty hair back from their foreheads and soon their eyes grew heavy and thumbs were inserted firmly in their mouths. While she sat in companionable silence with her husband and her two youngest children drowsing between them, Abbey took in the sounds of the night: the gentle sound of the surf in the low tide distance, the soft creaking of the porch swing, the sweet sounds of sucking emanating from the twins and the beautiful familiar sound of her elder daughters' laughter coming through the window from the kitchen. It was enough to fill her chest with an overwhelming warmth and love that caused tears to sting in her eyes. She felt surrounded by love, enveloped in it. It wasn't often that her whole family was together and it was a moment to be cherished. 

"You're awfully quiet," Jed said over the tops of the kids' heads. 

Abbey reached out a hand to entwine her fingers with his. "Just counting my blessings, babe. Just counting my blessings." 

**** 

> _I get kissed by the sun each morning_  
>  Put my feet on a hardwood floor   
> I get to hear my children laughing   
> Down the hall through the bedroom door   
> Sometimes I sit on my front porch swing   
> Just soaking up the day   
> I think to myself, I think to myself   
> This world is a beautiful place 
> 
> I have been blessed   
> And I feel like I've found my way   
> I thank God for all I've been given   
> At the end of every day   
> I have been blessed   
> With so much more than I deserve   
> To be here with the ones that love me   
> To love them so much it hurts   
> I have been blessed 
> 
> Across a crowded room   
> I know you know what I'm thinking   
> By the way I look at you   
> And when we're lying in the quiet   
> And no words have to be said   
> I think to myself, I think to myself   
> This love is a beautiful gift 
> 
> I have been blessed   
> And I feel like I've found my way   
> I thank God for all I've been given   
> At the end of every day   
> I have been blessed   
> With so much more than I deserve   
> To be here with the ones that love me   
> To love them so much it hurts   
> I have been blessed 
> 
> When I'm singing my kids to sleep   
> When I feel you holding me   
> I know 
> 
> I have been blessed   
> And I feel like I've found my way   
> I thank God for all I've been given   
> At the end of every day   
> I have been blessed   
> With so much more than I deserve   
> To be here with the ones that love me   
> To love them so much it hurts   
> I have been blessed   
>    ( _Blessed_ by Martina McBride)


	3. Summer of Us, The

"We goin' on a whale watch, we goin' on a whale watch…" The sing song voices of the twins caused Jed to smile as he watched them skip along the wooden pier up ahead with Abbey to board the _Abigail Anne_. He and the rest of the men were lagging behind carrying coolers and bags of food; dark clothed Secret Service agents not far behind. As they approached the boat, Jed's eyes fell to his wife who was leaning forward to help grab the bags that were passed up to her. She wore a pair of denim cutoffs revealing her long shapely legs and one of his oversized white dress shirts untucked and knotted at her tiny waist. It was unbuttoned all the way down revealing the bright coral and neon green bikini top she wore underneath. Her long copper hair was being whipped about her face by the strong sea breeze and she brushed it aside with irritation, arching her back in a way that nearly caused every male in her vicinity to groan. And, each time she bent, the men were awarded a mouth-watering view of her ample cleavage. So entranced was Jed by his sexy wife, he smashed right into Josh's back with the cooler he was carrying. Evidently the younger man had been just as taken with the view and had stopped in his tracks without Jed noticing. 

"Hey," Jed scowled. "Quit looking at Abbey's legs and watch where you're going." 

Josh turned back with a grin. "I believe it was you who bashed into me. I think maybe your eyes were in the same place that mine were." 

"Well, I'm allowed to admire my wife's…uh…attributes. You on the other hand should look at her and see a wife, a mother." 

"Sir, all due respect, there are times when your wife does not look like anybody's mother." 

"Josh." 

Josh turned to look at Leo "What?" 

"Learn to quit while you're ahead, boy." 

Josh grinned again and lifted his bag toward Abbey, holding it purposely just low enough that she would have to bend forward. Jed rolled his eyes heavenward. He wasn't angry with Josh. Any red-blooded male couldn't help but be affected by his wife and he took a certain amount of pride in that. After all, they might be able to look, but he was the only one who could touch. Well, in two more days he amended. God what had ever possessed him to go along with that idea? 

**** 

Without all the technical sonar equipment that he had the boat that he used for his own whale watches, Will Byrne was forced to go by his own calculations and instincts today. He'd been taking people out to see the whales for a lot of years and knew just where they liked to feed. Knowing that a captain wouldn't like another taking over his boat, he'd left Jed at the helm with the coordinates and then went to sit before his rapt audience. Aislinn, Nicholas, Gus and Annie sat Indian style on the deck in front of him while he gave them a history of the whales in the area and what they might see. Abbey sat back enjoying the feel of the sea, the gentle swells and the soft spray that cooled her skin. The blue expanse of the ocean sparkled with the shining rays of the sun and a feeling of peace settled over her. She was playing first mate for Jed today, but was also listening to Will and watching the bright eagerness on the faces of her youngest two who were enthralled in the whale stories. Every so often she scanned the horizon with her binoculars and helped the children to the rails when Jed shouted out a dolphin sighting. 

However, the real excitement came with the sighting of the first whale. The massive gray body rose from the ocean depths, its sleek length seeming to go on endlessly as it swam next to the boat then sounded with a flap of its giant tail. Aislinn, Nicholas and Gus squealed with excitement and raced to the rails huddling to watch for another whale. 

"Mumma, Mumma, Mumma! I seed the whale! I seed the whale! Did you seed the whale?!" Aislinn was springing up and down her eyes shining brightly. 

"I did see the whale." Abbey's throat was suddenly clogged with tears, her eyes growing shiny. "It was HUGE. Keep your eye out you may see another one. Whales usually swim in pods." 

"What's a pod?" 

"It's like a family." 

"Okay, Mumma. I keep looking." 

Abbey nodded with a smile, her arms wrapping around her waist as if to comfort herself. Puzzled, Jed had watched the Abbey's interaction with Aislinn while he dropped anchor then approached her from behind wrapping his own arms around her middle over hers. 

"Abbey? What is it, baby?" 

"What? Nothing, I'm okay." 

"You're crying." 

"I'm not crying, I'm choked up." 

"There's a difference?" 

"A wife and four daughters and you still haven't gotten that?" She leaned back against his chest tucking her head under his chin still watching the children. 

"You gonna tell me what's bothering you or I'm going to have to pry it out of you?" 

Abbey nodded toward where their daughter was now shrieking with glee, laughing with her brother as another whale emerged and gave a loud geyser to the sky from its blowhole. "Look at her, Jed. Look at how far she's come. It just hits me sometimes when I watch her like this that there was a time when I wondered if I'd ever see her laugh again, if I'd ever simply hear her voice calling me 'Mommy', never mind the joy of hearing her shriek at me with excitement." 

"She's a strong, resilient little girl," Jed let his chin rest on the top of Abbey's head. "But I do remember living with that fear day in and day out. I'll never forget the pain of watching her trying to communicate with me and wishing and praying that she would just call me 'Daddy' one more time." 

"We were lucky, Jed. We are lucky." She squeezed his forearm with emotion. 

"Mommy, Daddy, comesee comesee." The twins urged their parents to join them and the rest of the adults at the rail and hand in hand with broad smiles, they did. 

**** 

Sitting on the beach at Barren Island, a favorite spot of the Bartlet family where they had anchored for lunch, Will Byrne sat in on one of the many picnic blankets eating an Italian sub and sipping from a bottle of beer. It still amazed him at how he had come to this point. He, a simple fisherman and whale watch guide, now through some odd twist of fate was connected to the President and First Lady. It should have been awkward but Jed and Abbey Bartlet had not let it be. The three shared a love of sailing, nature, the environment and their families that bound them together and gave them numerous things to talk about. Neither Jed nor Abbey had a pretentious bone in their body and they had embraced both he and his daughter with open arms into their family. 

And, that family…it just wasn't anything he'd ever experienced before. He'd never been part of big family dynamics. The Bartlets worked together like a well oiled machine putting the picnic together, pulling out sandwiches, salads and chips, pouring lemonade and passing around cold beer and water. They laughed together, teased each other and started old family stories that were finished and embellished upon by the others. His own father had died in a fishing accident when he was seven and his mother had raised him alone. There had been no extended family. His wife had been an only child as well, so it had always been just he, June and Maggie, and then for the past few years just he and Maggie. He'd often felt bad that Maggie didn't have siblings and cousins, but now…well now she had a group of female cousins with whom she had bonded from the start, especially Ellie Bartlet. The two had become fast friends in Baltimore. In fact, at the moment, Ellie was giving baby Abigail her bottle so that Maggie and Matt could eat. 

And, the person who had given all this to them? The woman who had given them the light at the end of the tunnel, well, she was walking toward him with a smile balancing a plate in her hand. Something about Nora O'Neill had touched him right from the beginning. Of course he'd been grateful that she had given up her baby for adoption so that he and June had been blessed with the daughter he loved more than life itself, but a part of him had always wondered at what kind of woman could give birth to a child and give it away. After meeting Nora, hearing her story, his heart had been filled with tenderness for the both the teenage girl she had been and the gentle, shy, compassionate, woman she had become. In just a few months, she had become an integral part of his daughter's life – their daughter's life, and through Maggie the two of them had become friends. He'd watched Nora blossom from a tongue-tied, socially stunted, fresh from the convent nun, to a more relaxed confident woman. There were still shades of the convent in her, however, and there probably always would be. Sitting down beside him, she wore a long floor length sundress rather than the shorts over bathing suits that the other women wore; but the sundress did have narrow straps and bared her shoulders and chest, which was, he knew, a HUGE step for her. 

Nora smiled up at him as she sat and he couldn't help but remark at what a long way she was from the woman who used to skitter like a scared deer when he was in the room with her. Will felt that smile all the way down to his gut. The softening that had been taking place inside of Nora was also taking place outside. Her now pale auburn hair was growing out into soft curls rather than the near crew cut she'd had when he first met her, and instead of frowns, her face was now more often than not wreathed in smiles. Being with the Bartlets had really brought her out of her shell. The problem was that as Nora blossomed so did his feelings for her. At first they had been merely protective, the feelings of the strong wanted to defend the weak, the worldly taking care of the innocent. But now when she smiled at him like she was now, his instincts were more than just to protect – they were to kiss her, to lay her back in the sand and caress her body, to treat her like the woman she was. 

Nora shifted on the blanket. Will's eyes seemed to burn into her with an intensity she was seeing more and more lately. She wasn't sure what it meant but she did know that it made her feel funny. Tingly and feminine. Will Byrne made her feel like a woman and for the first time since leaving the convent that didn't scare her. A part of her wondered what it would be like to be a woman, to be loved by a man, to experience the joy that Abbey took in her Jed. It was that part of her that wondered if, having been a part of life again in all its messy glory, she could go back to the sterile confines of the convent and the dull, lifeless existence she had been living for so long. The longer she remained on the outside like this the more that possibility seemed to grow more and more remote. 

**** 

"Hey, Gram." Annie plopped next to Abbey on the picnic blanket. 

"Hey, sweets. What's up?" 

"Not much. Are you getting nervous about the ceremony?" 

Abbey laughed. "Honey, I'm not a bride. I know exactly what I'm getting into this time when I re-affirm my vows with your granddad. I am excited though." 

"Were you nervous before your real wedding?" 

"Of course I was. I think every bride is nervous. Not just about getting married but worrying over the ceremony itself. This time things will be a lot more relaxed for us." 

"Did anyone else ever ask you to marry them or was Gramps the first?" 

"There were a couple other boys that asked me to marry them. I like to tease your granddad about that when he gets too full of himself." 

"Why didn't you want to marry the other boys that asked you?" 

"I didn't love them, and I was far too young. One was a boyfriend I had in high school. He wanted to get married when we graduated. I think he was afraid of losing me because he knew I didn't love him." 

"What happened?" 

"I went off to college and we eventually fizzled out." 

"What about the other boy?" 

"He was the young man I was dating before I met your granddad. However, he didn't officially ask me to marry him until AFTER I was dating your grandfather. He kind of assumed it before then which really made me mad and I broke up with him." 

"And then you met Gramps," Annie smiled. 

"I did." 

"And you fell in love." Annie had heard the story a million times but it was one of her favorites. Hearing her grandparents' love story had always filled her with a feeling of safety and security. 

"I did. Love at first sight." 

"And you never did anything with those other boys. Right?" 

"Define anything," Abbey smiled as she tucked a strand of Annie's red-gold hair behind her ear. 

"Sex. You said Gramp's was your first, right? You said you were a virgin when you guys did it." 

"Yes, but we weren't simply 'doing it', honey, we were making love. There is a very big difference." Abbey frowned. "Where is all this coming from, Annie-girl?" 

"Do you think my real dad wanted to marry my mom?" 

Abbey's eyes widened and a stab of pain worked its way through her heart at the thought of Annie's biological father. Annie knew that Doug was not her real father but Elizabeth had never been able to bring herself to tell her daughter the true circumstances of her birth. 

"Have you talked to your mom about this?" 

"I tried. But, she gets all weird whenever I bring it up." 

Abbey's eyes fell on her eldest child. Elizabeth was elbowing Jed over something he'd said, causing him to laugh. Her heart constricted again at what her daughter had gone through and what she was still going to have to go through because of that night. It was so hard to watch her continually having to pay for one youthful mistake and yet she also knew that it was probably time for Annie to know the truth about her birth. But, how did one tell a sweet, beautiful, intelligent young girl like Anabeth Abigail Bartlet Westin that nobody knew who her father was. That she was a product of rape. 

**** 

Back on the deck of the _Abigail Anne_ , Abbey didn't have time to dwell on Annie's questions. She was too involved in cleaning up the twins from lunch and reapplying sunscreen and lip balm. Finally, she got them settled down along with Gus with sea creature coloring books and was able to sit back and relax. From her vantage point, she was able to watch Jed at the helm of their boat. God how she loved to watch him when he was playing captain. There was just something so powerful, so sexy in the way that he stood there so relaxed and in control. He squinted into the sun his Viking blue eyes scanning the horizon, the wind ruffling his tawny hair. After going shirtless on the beach, he had put the shirt back on at her insistence when she had noticed him starting to burn, but he hadn't bothered to button it all the way up or tuck it in. Arousal caused her pulse to quicken as she took in the tanned V bared by his unbuttoned shirt and the light sheen of sweat catching in the soft swirls of chest hair that was exposed. Sweat also ran in rivulets along the muscles that rippled in his forearm where he gripped the wheel. He emanated raw masculine magnetism in a way that caused Abbey's breath to quicken and her teeth to sink into her bottom lip fighting the urge that she had to press her tongue into the hollow of his neck and coax those big hands to work their magic on her. Was it she who had come up with that stupid idea to wait another two days to make love with him? 

"Mommy, can I has some appo juice?" Nicky asked. 

Startled out of her fantasy, Abbey's voice sounded funny even to herself. "Of course you can." 

Jed's eyes moved from the horizon to settle on Abbey, his breath catching in his throat. Her eyes lay on him and they were heavy lidded with desire. But, before he could make a move, he watched her take their son's sippie cup and head below deck. 

"Will," he turned to look at the other man. "Would you mind taking the helm for a bit?" 

"Course not." Will made his way over and took Jed's place so that he could disappear below deck with his wife. 

He found Abbey in the galley bent into the small refrigerator to retrieve the bottle of apple juice. "Abbey." His voice was tight with need. 

Abbey turned to him and saw the lust that burned in his eyes. The physical pull between them was as strong as it always was. Abbey didn't need anything else to make her throw all her good intentions out the window. In less than a second, she had thrown herself at him, devouring his face with kisses and tearing at his shirt so that she could run her palms over his chest. Oh, how she loved that masculine chest. Jed's tongue thrust into Abbey's mouth at the same time he shoved her bikini top aside and almost roughly cupped her breast in his palm. Abbey moaned into his mouth, pressing her body against him, grinding her pelvis against his growing erection. Not a word was spoken between the two; it was need, pure greedy need that only grew more frantic as they tugged at each other. Their lips ground together as Abbey arched her back pushing her breast into Jed's hand for rougher treatment. Jed's hips shoved against her seeking release for the rock hard fullness that ached to find its way inside her. With shaking fingers, her lips still attached to his, her tongue at war, she worked at the button on her jeans and quickly unzipped them taking Jed's hand and shoving it inside her shorts just as she had fantasized doing on the deck. He knew what she was telling him. The coast was clear and she wanted this. His hand moved inside the front of her bikini bottom cupping the soft springy curls between her legs as he slid his fingers inside the wet swollen folds. Abbey gasped, her nails digging into his shoulders as she squirmed against his those fingers, crying out when they hit the mark and he started sliding the now slick digits over her clitoris in a way that removed any rational thought from her brain. His lips moved from hers to find their way to her breast. He took her rigid nipple between his lips and began to suckle her – HARD. So hard that it bordered on pain, but it was a pain Abbey welcomed. Her breathing quickened into panting and when he introduced first one finger and then two inside her soft warm core, she leaned back gripping the counter with her hands giving herself up to the overwhelming sensations of her husband at her breast and between her thighs. Soft whimpers worked their way from between her lips as his fingers continued to wiggle and slide inside of her body, his thumb continuing to circle over her swollen nub until her entire body tightened and with a strangled cry she came, her walls squeezing his fingers with her climax. Jed loved to feel her come. 

"Don't let it end, Jed," she gasped. "I don't want to stop coming. Do it now." 

With one swift brush of his arm, Jed cleared the galley table and after sliding Abbey's bottoms all the way off, he lifted her to the edge. He groaned as she immediately spread her slender thighs for him and he saw her all pink swollen and glistening with her desire for him. He reached out a finger to run down her center and felt her entire body quiver. He slid his finger back inside of her groaning as he watched it disappear into her, the walls of her body clenching around him. She was still contracting. Her head fell back and she reached for his wrist pushing his finger more deeply into her. 

"More, Jed," she whimpered. "I need more." 

Jed slid his bathing suit down his legs freeing his hardened shaft and Abbey reached for him closing her hand over his tumescence, anticipating the feel of that thick hard length filling her. 

"Ohhhh… you win, you win." 

Jed gave a soft chuckle, knowing she wasn't talking to him but to his penis about the conversation they'd had yesterday. She took him firmly in hand and inserted him into her opening. 

"God," she moaned. "Do it now. Do it hard." 

Oh, sweet Lord how he loved her like this, all hot and eager and out of control. "You got it, babe." He complied, laying her back against the table and shoving the entire thick length of himself inside her with one powerful thrust. Abbey's back arched high off the table and the orgasm that had never really stopped reached another powerful crest, her body squeezing Jed fiercely as he began frantically pumping into her. Her knees lifted toward her chest and her legs climbed higher then wrapped around Jed's body locking across his upper back. Jed lay flat against her, his hands reaching out above her head to grip the edge of the table in order to give his thrusts even more power and penetration. His chest flattened her breasts, his hipbones smashed into hers and their groins ground together all in an effort to become as one. Each penetration reached his hilt and he groaned aloud at the ecstasy of her body taking him so deeply. Abbey gasped with the incredibly deep hard thrusts wrapping her arms around his torso and clinging to him in an effort to stay on the table. She knew that had she not been coming, it would have been painful to accept him that deep, that hard and that fast, but instead she welcomed it urging him on until finally he exploded filling her with his warm essence. They lay together sprawled on top of the table panting and sweating, Jed's semen continuing to pulse every so often and trickle from Abbey's body. 

"You do realize that we have absolutely no self control," Abbey said finally her fingers running ticklishsly over his bare tight buttocks. She was still out of breath. 

Jed smiled stroking the damp hair back off her forehead. "I've never had any self control when it comes to you, toots. But, hey, no regrets. This was just a fast hard quickie. I promise I'll make the night of our vow renewal special. I'm going to make love to every inch of you." 

Abbey smiled lazily. "I can't even think of that now. I don't think I'm going to be able to walk." With the pleasure over, she could feel the soreness between her thighs and in her hips. She felt very well ridden indeed. 

"Oh, hon, I'm sorry." Jed withdrew his shaft from her watching her wince as he did so. 

"It's okay." She groaned as she sat up. "I asked for it and believe me. I enjoyed every minute of it." 

"Abbey?" 

"Shit! It's Sam!" Abbey jumped off the table, all thoughts of any soreness gone at the sound of her daughter's boyfriend coming down the stairs below deck. 

"Abbey, are you okay? Nicky wants his apple juice." 

Abbey's face flushed. She'd forgotten entirely what she'd come down here for. 

"I'm coming, Sam." Frantically, Abbey shoved her breasts back into the cups of her bikini and grabbed for her bottoms. 

"That's not entirely accurate," Jed was laughing as he quickly pulled his bathing suit back on. "Two minutes ago you were coming, unless of course I was that potent and you're still coming." 

"Jed." Abbey's eyes narrowed. "You're not funny. We're about to be caught here having sex in the middle of a family whale watch. This is all your fault, you know." 

"My fault?" 

"Yes," Abbey worked at the zipper on her denim shorts. "If you weren't so damn sexy and so damn good at this, I wouldn't end up in these predicaments." 

"I hope you aren't expecting me to apologize." Jed was still grinning. He was always in a good mood after hot sex. 

"Who is apologizing for what?" Sam asked. His lips twitched with amusement as he entered the galley, instantly putting two and two together. His eyes took in the paper plates and cups and the bag of chips that had been on the table and now lay strewn all over the floor along with the disheveled state of the President and First Lady and the faint odor of sex that clung to the air even though Abbey had obviously tried to get rid of it with a room spray. It didn't take a genius to figure out that they had disappeared for a quickie. Sam wasn't surprised; he'd worked in the White House after all, where morning or afternoon barbecues were not out of the ordinary. 

"None of your business," Jed told him. "Now, what can we do for you, Samuel?" 

"Ellie sent me down here. Nicky's been fussing for his juice and now Aislinn and Gus want some." 

Abbey reached into the refrigerator and pulled out three juice boxes. "Just give them these." 

"Thank you." Sam's eyes danced with mirth. "And Mr. President, if you don't want anyone else on deck other than me to know what's been going on down here you might not want to wear your bathing suit backwards." 

Jed glanced down with chagrin as he realized that sure enough the back pocket of his bathing suit was now in the front. As Sam departed Abbey shook her head at her husband. 

"And to think – you won a Nobel Prize." 

Back on deck Ellie reached for the juice boxes that Sam handed to her. "What the heck was taking her so long?" 

"She got a little sidetracked," Sam grinned. 

"What?" 

"She and your dad decided to have a little barbecue." 

Ellie flashed him a puzzled look. "What are you talking about? We don't barbecue on the boat we use the stove." 

Sam laughed. "I forget sometimes that you don't know the White House lingo." 

"Sam, you have completely lost me." 

"Barbecue is a euphemism." 

"For what?" 

"Sex." 

"Sex?" 

"Well, sex between your mother and father. Sometimes, especially when they've been apart for a while, when your father has a cancellation or a free hour, he'll grab your mother from the East Wing and make a dash for the Residence for a little afternoon delight. Instead of calling them 'quickies', they were referred to in the official schedules as barbecues." 

"I cannot believe that you are telling me this. Are you saying that my parents were below deck having sex just now?" 

"Yup." 

"And you caught them." 

"Well, it was over by the time I got there, but it was pretty obvious what had been going on." 

"Oh, Sam. My parents love to make out. They were probably just kissing or something." 

"Uh definitely or something. Your mom's hair was all messed up. Your dad's bathing suit was on backwards and all the stuff on the galley table was on the floor. Pretty hot if you ask me." 

"Oh… oh…Sam, stop," Ellie covered her ears. "I don't want to know anymore." 

Sam laughed. "Well, you know. Maybe we ought to try it out later." 

"Are you KIDDING me?" Ellie was incredulous. "Do you think that I can walk into that galley now and NOT picture my parents going at it on the table." Ellie shuddered. In spite of the fact that she and her sisters had often caught their parents in compromising positions before, and she knew that they had a very healthy sex life, it wasn't something she EVER wanted to picture. 

"Hi, Mommy. Lookit what I colored." 

Ellie looked up to see her mother rather gingerly walk toward Nicholas to look at his picture and a deep pink stain infused her cheeks. She DEFINITELY did not want to think of why her mother was too sore to walk properly. 

**** 

Back at the house, Michael and Beth O'Neill had arrived along with Jane and Vivian and they were sitting with Emily on the wide porch. When the twins spotted all their grandparents, they raced up the porch steps eager to share their day with somebody new. 

"Gammy, Gampy, we seed LOTS of whales," Aislinn told them, still in awe. 

"BIG whales," Nicholas added, spreading his arms as wide as he could to indicate the huge size of the whales. 

"That big, eh?" Michael ruffled his grandson's hair. 

"We seed a baby whale too," Aislinn added. 

"And lots of dolphins." 

"And Daddy letted us steer the boat." 

Beth smiled at their enthusiasm. "Well, it sure sounds like you had an awful lot of fun." 

"Okay troops," Abbey followed closely behind with Jed. "Upstairs with your sisters for a quick bath then you can come back down and play." It was too close to suppertime for Abbey to bother putting them down for naps. 

"You look wiped, sis." Jane stood and gave Abbey a hug. 

"Sun and sea will do that to you," Abbey neglected to add sex to her statement. 

"Well, how about some frozen coco locos and a little poker on the porch tonight? I heard the guys are getting a poker game together, no gals allowed. Evidently they want to be able to drink, smoke, belch, swear, eat crap and scratch whatever they want without offending our delicate sensibilities so I say let 'em at it. We'll have our own game." 

"That sounds like a lot of fun, but Jed and I have a to do a quick TV spot that they're going to show the morning of our vow renewal." 

"Are you doing it here?" 

"Yeah. It's going to be really informal, just a quick ten minute thing out on the porch, so I'll be free the rest of night. We're sort of compromising." 

"What are you compromising about?" 

"The media wanted to be able to televise the service." 

"Are you kidding me? You said right from the start that this was going to be a private service." 

"Well, I've come to learn when you live your life in the goldfish bowl there is rarely any complete privacy. We're going to have one AP reporter and photographer covering the ceremony, but no TV cameras and we're giving the brief interview tonight. That should appease the public." 

"Sucks to be an icon, doesn't it?" Jane grinned. 

Abbey rolled her eyes. "I am NOT an icon." 

"Good Lord, what planet are you on, Abbey? Jed was voted _People's_ 'Sexiest Man Alive' the year that he was elected and has been _Time_ magazine's 'Man of the Year' more than once. You have been listed as one of _People's_ 'Twenty-five Sexiest People Alive' and 'Fifty Most Beautiful People' and you've both been listed as members of the 'Ten Most Intriguing People in the World'. Not to mention you both top the lists for men and women most admired in the world. People around the globe are obsessed with you, your marriage, and your children. Everywhere I go, the minute they hear that I'm your sister they go crazy pumping me for information." 

"Well, I hope you're discreet." A twinkle danced in Abbey's eyes. 

"What? You don't want me telling them how you used to dance around in your Sacred Heart uniform pretending to be on American Bandstand or how you used to practice making out with your pillow fantasizing that it was Paul McCartney or how you mooned over Jed like some lovesick puppy the summer he worked on the Indian reservation, or…" 

"Hey," Abbey elbowed her younger sister. "Enough already." 

"No, I think Jane should go on," Jed said. "This is getting interesting." 

"Jed," Abbey looked at her watch. "We have less than an hour to shower and dress for this interview. We really need to get moving." She opened the screen door to the cottage and Jed followed behind. 

"All right, but on the way up I want to hear more about this fantasizing and mooning. I gotta ask, did you ever fantasize about having sex on a table on a boat the way that we did this afternoon." 

Abbey turned to him incredulous. "Jed, I was fifteen years old when I was making out with my pillows. For me, at that point, the height of eroticism was just the idea of French kissing. I certainly never thought of sprawling myself out naked over a table and letting my husband…" 

"Uh, begging your husband," Jed reminded her. 

"Yes, well, begging my husband to fulfill my carnal needs." 

"Ahhh," Jed chuckled. "The chaste little Catholic girl who turned into a wanton little hussy." 

"And a husband who wouldn't have her any other way." Abbey pinched his butt as he entered their bedroom. 

"You got that straight. You want the shower first or should we take one together." 

Abbey laughed as he wiggled his brows at her. "I think taking one together could get us into a little trouble. You go first." 

By the time Jed came out of the bathroom with just a towel around his hips, Abbey was finishing laying out clothes for them to wear for their interview. She glanced up and gave a quick frown at his pink shoulders. 

"Your shoulders burned," her tone was accusatory. 

"Not too bad," he defended himself. 

"Sit down." She went into the bathroom and came out with a bottle of green gel. "I told you to put more sunscreen on. It was your first full day in the sun." 

"I'm fine, Abbey." He sighed as her hands smoothed the cool aloe vera gel on his hot shoulders. 

"Feel better?" she asked. 

Jed nodded. "Thanks." 

"You're still a little sticky. Don't put your shirt on until your shoulders are dry. Now, I'm off to take my shower." 

"Are you really gonna get smashed with the girls tonight?" 

"Well, you do know how I like my coco locos, " she grinned. "But, never fear, I won't be setting a bad example for OUR girls. Doug and Liz are going out tonight and Ellie, Sam, and Zoey are driving down to Portland to pick up Mallory at the airport then they were talking about going out to a club." 

Jed nodded. "Looks like I'm on twin duty tonight." 

"You can play poker with the guys. My parents will take care of the twins." 

"So I have permission to eat crap, belch, and scratch myself at will." 

Abbey laughed. "Permission granted. But," she moved up close to him cupping his crotch through the towel. "I thought I scratched that itch this afternoon." 

"I've always got more itches, you hot little tamale, and if you don't get your hand off my balls soon, your going to be doing a little more scratching tonight." 

Abbey's laugh turned throaty. "I think I'll save that for the honeymoon." She kissed his cheek and sauntered off for her shower. 

"Vixen." He muttered under his breath. 


	4. Summer of Us, The

"I really appreciate all of you watching the twins for Jed and me tonight," Abbey turned to her parents and Jed's mother. They were all in the twins' bedroom watching as Abbey pulled out pajamas and books. "But, you know they're both with Jed right now and we'll both still be here if you need anything." 

"Honey," Beth squeezed her arm. "Go have fun at your bachelorette party." 

"It's not a bachelorette party, Mom. I'm not getting married. I'm renewing my vows. We're just going to play cards on the porch." 

"Mmmm…" Beth gave her a speculative look that made Abbey suspicious. She was still wondering about that look as she made her way across the lawn to the gazebo where Jed and the guys had set up their poker game. 

"Mr. President, the Mrs. is coming." Toby elbowed Jed eyeing the cigar that he had clenched between his teeth. 

"I'm okay as long it's not lit." 

"Who's the Mrs., Daddy?" Aislinn was sitting on Jed's lap playing with the buttons on his shirt. 

"That's your mama." 

Jed turned to see Abbey strolling across the lawn and smiled. After they had returned from the whale watch, she had changed for the interview into a floor length Indian style wrap around white skirt with swirling red patterns and a white diaphanous thin strapped camisole blouse. Her long hair was loose and flowing over her shoulders and she wore a simple delicate gold crucifix around her slender neck. The effect was very soft, casual, and utterly feminine – a view of professional and glamorous Abbey Bartlet that people around the world didn't get to see very often except in pictures and one that would be beamed across the country tomorrow night when the interview was shown. 

Abbey smiled as she approached the gazebo. Jed was leaning back in his chair, his cigar between his teeth a lock of sandy brown hair falling over his brow. A frown creased his forehead as he looked at his cards and tried to keep them out of their daughter's grabby little toddler hands. 

"Hi, Mommy." 

"Hey, buttercup." Abbey bent to kiss Aislinn's forehead. "Where's Nicholas?" 

"I over here, Mumma." 

Abbey turned to see her son behind the gazebo digging in the dirt with his beach shovel. 

"He's digging for worms," Jed explained. 

"So we go fishing tomorrow," Nicholas added. 

"I thought you used clams for bait or sea worms." 

"I do," Jed whispered. "But it's keeping him occupied." 

"Ahhh…" Abbey stood and it was then that she noticed Toby sitting by her husband's side. 

"Tobias, you decided to join us." 

Toby nodded not looking up from his cards. 

"Heard about the whale watch, did you?" Her arms crossed under her breasts and a smile curved on her lips. 

"As a matter of fact I did. I swore that after the last trip out on that coffin ship of yours that I was never going to get suckered back out onto the sea again." 

Abbey laughed remembering Toby's bout with seasickness the last time they had gotten him on the _Abigail Anne_. "Well, if you boys are all set then I'm going to head off to my own little card game." 

"Men, Abbey," Jed grumbled around his cigar. "We're men." 

"Okay, if you MEN are all set then I'm going to be off." 

"I gonna stay here," Aislinn said. "Daddy say I'm his good luck charm." 

"Well then you stay here and work your magic, baby girl." She bent back down to kiss her cheek then took Jed's chin between her thumb and forefinger. "Win a lot, darlin' mine, I plan to do some shopping in Europe." She kissed his cheek and was off. 

"Your wife is a great broad," Leo chuckled, then quickly turned to Michael. "I mean no offence by that." 

"None taken," Michael grinned. "Abbey is a great broad." 

**** 

"What is all this?" Abbey's eyes widened as she stepped up onto the front porch expecting a card game to be set up and instead found a pile of gifts set on the table that Millie, Jane, Vivian, Nora and CJ were sitting around. 

"Ah, here's the woman of the hour," Jane lifted her glass in a toast to Abbey's arrival. 

"You guys didn't have to get me gifts. It's not like I need a bridal shower." 

"Good, because these are definitely not bridal shower gifts," Millie grinned. "You won't be finding any bone china in this pile." 

"What kind of gifts are they?" Abbey eyed her friends and family warily noting that Nora was blushing furiously. 

"Why don't you sit down and find out." 

"But first you need one of these." Vivian stood and made her way to the blender they had set up outside on extension cords and poured the ingredients, including a generous amount of Jamaican rum into it with lots of crushed ice. When it was finished, she poured it into a tall glass, dropped in a straw and handed it to Abbey. The fruity coconut and rum concoction was just the thing for a hot summer night. Abbey sipped it murmuring her delight then turned her attention to the gifts. 

Inside, watching the evening news, Beth and Emily heard the squeals and shrieks of laughter coming from the porch. 

"What on earth is going on out there?" Emily asked. 

Beth stood and made her way to the big window that overlooked the porch. She saw her daughter holding up what looked like a sheer white lace body suit cut incredibly high on the hips that would most probably reveal absolutely everything that it was supposed to cover. She felt a blush stain her cheeks as she watched Millie reach out to demonstrate the snaps at the crotch. It was then that she noticed the pile of naughty undies and nightwear by her daughter's side. 

"Well, what's going on?" Emily asked. 

"Uh…Abbey's opening gifts." 

"They didn't give her the quilt, did they?" Emily slowly rose to her feet and joined Beth in the window. 

"Well…Not exactly." 

Beth heard Emily's sharp intake of breath as Abbey handed off a red and black satin and lace bustier and garter belt set then opened what looked like a benign bottle of something. 

"Mmm…Almond and vanilla massage oil," Abbey read. "I've used that before." 

"But this one is edible," Vivian informed her wiggling her brows. "Once it's on, you can lick it all off." 

"Saints be preserved." Emily crossed herself and fell back against the chair. 

"You can say that again." Beth moved out of the window. She was certainly not a prude but the details of her daughter's sex life were nothing that she needed to know. She was glad that her husband was off playing cards with his son-in-law, for while she knew that Michael knew it wasn't the case – and of course, all evidence to the contrary – he liked to pretend that the five children of Jed and Abbey were somehow immaculate conceptions. Men and their daughters she thought with a soft laugh to herself. 

**** 

"Okay, Abbey, we have the results of your compatibility test matched up with the answers that Jed gave us earlier." 

"I still can't believe he answered them," Abbey said. 

"Oh, he did all right. And, he wants to know the results. Let's see – when it comes to your romantic compatibility, you are both traditionals. Flowers, champagne, candlelight, soft music and chocolate are your ways of telling your partner you love them. A traditional wedding is in the not-so-distant future. He'll ask your father for your hand in marriage, you'll wear something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. A piece of the cake will be stored for your first child's christening. You'll live blissfully ever after." 

"Well, they were right about that one," Jane grinned. "Jed did ask Dad for your hand and you did the whole big wedding thing. However, that child's christening did come a little sooner than the allotted traditional nine months." 

"Thanks for reminding everyone, Jane," Abbey elbowed her sister. 

Vivian ignored them and continued on. "Now on to the juicy stuff, your sexual compatibility. Hah, big surprise here. It says that you are both adventurous and that few relationships have the passionate potential that this one does. Your libidos are on fire! Any time, any room, any position, you are uninhibited and full of passion. The chemistry between the two of you is electric! You're in for a thrilling ride." 

"Pun intended?" Millie giggled. 

"Move on to the communication part," Abbey urged, her face flushed. 

"Well, here is where you differ a bit," Vivian said. "It says that you, Abbey, are a gifted communicator. You and your significant other are equal partners in your relationship thanks to excellent communication skills. You openly express your feelings without negativity or accusations. You listen intently to your partner's issues, ideas and suggestions. Not only are you able to skillfully articulate your feelings and ideas, you're also able to understand your partner. Now, it says that Jed is a compromiser. He doesn't like friction and because of his desire for smooth sailing, he welcomes his partner's suggestions and point of view. He is not, however, a pushover, he simply chooses his battles wisely. But, he doesn't always get to the heart of the matter, preferring instead to keep the peace." 

"Well, that does sound a bit like Jed and I," Abbey admitted. "But he does fight his battles well when he so chooses." 

"The good part is that your communication compatibility is extremely high. It says here about the gifted communicator and compromiser ' _Oh, what a blissful relationship you two have. You bring out the best in each other through open, supportive and expressive dialogue. You'll be together for a very long and joyous time_.'" 

"Well, that hit the nail on the head." Abbey poured herself another drink and sat back at the table. 

"Now, last but not least your astrological assessment." 

"Well that one won't be any news to me. Jed and I read up about some of that when we were at a bookstore in New Orleans. Seemed like we were pretty fiery together if I remember correctly." 

"You do remember quite correctly. You are an Aries and the great strength of the Aries-born is their energy, initiative, and courage. The fire they bring to their lives makes them one of the most dynamic characters of the Zodiac. Now, Jed is a Leo and it says about him that in a relationship Leo tops the charts in almost every area, from devotion to romance. The great strength of the Leo-born is their creativity and generosity with others. Then about the two of you together – when Aries and Leo come together, the sparks tend to fly! Both fire signs are passionate and dynamic, with a healthy spirit of competition thrown in. They push each other to accomplish more and better things, and there is a lot of action in this partnership. These partners have genuine admiration and respect for each other, but they need to learn to take turns commanding and giving orders – even when they're only choosing a movie at the video store! The best aspect of the Aries-Leo relationship is its powerful coaction and mutual admiration when they're dedicated to seeing things through. With Aries as the initiator and Leo as the one who follows through, they both have their niche within the partnership. Their mutual energy and passion makes theirs a dynamic relationship." 

"And there you have it," Millie grinned. "Abbey and Jed Bartlet in a nutshell." 

"Looks like you picked the right guy to hook up with," Vivian said. 

"And what if I hadn't?" Abbey asked with lifted brow. "What if that test had come out saying we weren't compatible? Would you all be calling Father Cavanaugh and canceling the ceremony?" 

"Abbey, if that test had come back saying that you were completely incompatible, I doubt you'd be HAVING a vow renewal ceremony," Jane told her. 

"And by the way," Vivian picked up Abbey's hand admiring the huge diamond that glittered on her ring finger and that she often watched Abbey unconsciously fiddle with. "That is one HELL of a rock that you have there." 

"It is, isn't it." Abbey wiggled her finger letting the light dance on the flawless five-carat pear cut diamond. She loved her engagement ring, not only for its beauty but for what it symbolized as well. "It's an antique setting that belonged to Jed's grandmother and those two smaller diamonds that you see on each side of the band were actually the original stones in the ring when Jed proposed to me. Then for our tenth wedding anniversary, when he won his Nobel Prize, he bought me this bigger stone and we had it reset with the smaller ones because we didn't want to lose their significance." 

"You're a lucky lady. It's absolutely gorgeous." 

"Thank you." 

"Well," Vivian dropped Abbey's hand and stood. "Now it's time for a game." 

Abbey had to laugh at her dramatic flourish. In her bright orange muumuu and big bangly earrings, Vivian Carstairs was a complete original. 

"Wait a minute," Abbey protested when she saw her sister's significant other lay a box called _Truth or Dare_ on the table, "I thought we were playing cards." 

"Cards are boring. This will be a lot more fun. And speaking of fun. Let's get this party really rolling." 

Abbey thought for a terrifying moment she might be pulling out marijuana or something and was relieved to see that it was just a couple bottles of tequila. Jane disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a bowl of cut lime wedges and salt shakers. 

"Now THIS is a party." CJ took the shot glass she'd been offered and downed the first shot of the tequila. 

"Well, Jed did ask me if I was going to get smashed tonight," Abbey sighed. She already had a good buzz from the coco locos. 

Millie gazed over the top of her shot glass. "I hope you told him yes." 

"Okay, ladies," Vivian took the cover off the game. "I took out all the dare cards because your lovers aren't playing, and since Jane and I are the only lesbians here I don't think you'd want to play out the dare cards." 

"How gracious of you, Viv," Abbey smirked. 

"I don't know about this." Nora was still nursing her second coco loco and hadn't even thought about doing a tequila shot. 

"Oh, come on, Nora. No room here for stick in the mud's. Don't worry, kid, we'll take it easy on you. Now, the way we play is that you pick up a card and read it to the person on your left. They have to answer the question and then pick another card and read to the next person." 

"How do you win?" Abbey asked. 

"Leave it to an Aries to want to know how to win. It's not about winning and losing. It's all about learning intimate things about your friends that you never knew before." 

"Oh, good lord." Abbey was a bit hesitant about playing at first but after a couple of shots she loosened up considerably. "I'll read first," she said, grabbing for a card. She turned to CJ who was on her left. "Have you ever had cyber sex? If not, would you?" 

"Cyber sex?" CJ frowned. "What is that, like sex with a robot?" 

The women around the table erupted with laughter. 

"Cyber sex is computer sex." She was informed. 

"You know, phone sex but on the computer," Millie added. 

"No way," CJ shuddered. "The Secret Service monitors my computer." 

"What's that got to do with anything?" Abbey licked the salt off her wrist then tossed back the shot before sucking her lime wedge. "They monitor my bedroom but you don't see that from stopping ME from having sex." 

"Okay, okay" CJ held her hand up against the renewed laughter. "My turn to read. Vivian, what form of birth control do you practice, if any?" 

Of course the question set everyone off again. 

"Well, considering the fact that I'm a post menopausal lesbian that's not a hassle I have to worry about unlike the rest of you darling gals. Except you, of course, my darling Jane." She bent to kiss Jane's cheek then picked up her own card to read to Jane. "Who first told you about sex and what did they say?" 

"Oh, God, that was Grandmother Anne," Jane laughed. "Do you remember, Abbey?" 

Abbey nodded. "It was when she caught me reading _Peyton Place_ and freaked out." 

"She was HORRIFIED that her granddaughter was reading about S-E-X. She actually spelled it out. But, Abbey was pretty ballsy about the whole thing. She told our stern old grandmother that sex was a part of life and just what did she have against it. Grandmother said that we'd know when we got married. As if there weren't the most remote chance that we'd have sex BEFORE we got married. Or," she added with a wiggle of her brows, "that I wouldn't even BE having sex with one of those messy penises." 

Abbey gave a quick snort of laughter. "Don't let the men hear you say that. They're pretty proud of those messy penises. Anyway, when we pushed Grandmother about the mysteries of sex all she would say was that it was a painful, messy affair but that it was the duty of the wife to submit to her husband's baser urges. Baser urges, I LOVE that term, as if women don't have any baser urges. But, she did say that it wasn't too bad if you just closed your eyes and thought about something else. Can you imagine?" Abbey laughed. 

"Thinking about something else when you're hot and heavy in the throes of passion." 

"If she was thinking about something else I doubt she was ever hot in heavy in the throes of passion," Jane grinned. "Can you believe that we descend from her? I mean I can only imagine what she'd think of me and then there is you, a woman filled with those baser urges who can't keep her hands off her husband." 

"Jane," Abbey elbowed her yet again. 

"Hey, I'm not the one who got so carried away that my lover fell out of bed with me and got a black eye. Imagine how grandmother would have enjoyed reading THAT in the tabloids. Bet you weren't thinking of party menus or guest lists in that moment, were you?" 

"In the middle of an orgasm," Abbey slurred. "Hardly." 

"Do you think grandmother ever had an orgasm?" 

"I doubt grandmother ever heard of the word orgasm let alone ever came. Thank God Mom set us straight." 

"Mom's attitude was definitely healthier. Now, Abbey, it's your turn to answer a question and how appropriate it is since we are on the subject of orgasms. 'Tell the group the most public place that you've ever had an orgasm.'" 

Abbey had to think on it for so long she drew hoots of laughter. 

"Well, let's not forget that this is the woman who admitted in that _Cosmo_ survey a couple years ago to getting it on in several different locales," Millie placed an arm over Abbey's shoulders. "It's going to take a while for her to go through her repertoire." 

"I'm just trying to think of which was the MOST public. I guess I'd have to say that it would have been in Finland at the Savonlinna Opera festival." 

"Jed gave you an orgasm in the middle of an opera?" Jane gasped. Nora choked on her drink so badly Millie had to pound on her back. 

"How did that happen?" CJ's voice held incredulity. "I was sitting not all that far from you. I don't remember anything out of the ordinary." 

"Well, you wouldn't have. It's not like I was carrying on like Meg Ryan in _When Harry Met Sally_. It was chilly; we were given a blanket. Jed's fingers did a little wandering under that blanket." 

"He jacked you off right there in the middle of thousands of people?" Vivian's eyes were wide. "I am totally impressed." 

It still surprised Abbey at times how direct and open her sister's new partner was. "Well, don't be too impressed. I didn't quite get off. I was just about there, you know, right on the edge." All the women nodded, they had all balanced on that edge before. "But just as I was about to go over, the opera ended and everyone jumped to their feet for a standing ovation. It would have been rude to remain sitting so we had to join them." 

"You must have wanted to kill him," Jane laughed. 

"I did. But, he made up for it. Oh boy did he make up for it." 

"The President is that good in bed, huh?" Vivian's words were all running into each other by now. 

"That, my dear, is putting it mildly." Abbey took another shot, her face grimacing, as the potent liquor made its hot way down her throat. 

"So, he's a real stallion." 

"Let's just say he has a right to be proud of that messy penis of his, and of course what he does with it." Abbey's dimples flashed with her devilish grin. 

"I'm not surprised after the answers you guys gave on that compatibility test." 

"And, they did get four out of five stars on the sex quiz," CJ added. 

"Sex quiz?" Vivian raised a brow. "Did I miss something?" 

"It was just that stupid _Cosmo_ sex quiz they were talking about before. It was s'pose to determine how hot your sex life was. I was whiling away a hot summer day filling it out and afterwards THESE girls found it. Since then they've never let me live it down." 

"And you got four out of five stars?" 

"Yeah," Abbey giggled. She was drunk, not buzzed, not tipsy, DRUNK. "Jed was a little pissed about that. He wanted all five of those itty bitty stars." 

"What held you back?" 

"Kinky. I had to say no to S&M and _menage a trois_ stuff. Jed was determined to get that fifth star but–" Abbey giggled again at the memory. "When I suggested he wear my bustier and garters to get a kinky point he decided that four out five wasn't bad at all." 

"I can imagine," Millie chortled. "Jed isn't exactly the type to wear women's underwear." 

"Thank God," CJ snickered. "I can spin away pictures of Abbey in lingerie, but pictures of the President would be a different story." 

"Okay, okay enough about me. Is time for another question. Nora," Abbey turned her heavy lidded eyes toward her cousin. Nora wasn't used to the alcohol and she could barely keep her head up. "Are you sure you won't take a question?" 

"I'm a nun. I don't have a sex life or public…orgasms," she hiccupped, then covered her mouth with her hand when she realized what she had said. Her reaction sent the group into paroxysms of laughter and it was a while before they calmed down enough for Abbey to read her next question to CJ. She gave a soft giggle as she read it silently then turned to CJ and read it aloud. 

"Tell the group your most outrageous sexual fantasy." 

CJ thought for a moment then started to laugh. "No, I can't it's too embarrassing." 

"Come on," Abbey wagged a finger in front of CJ's face. "I jus' admitted to allowing my husband free reign of my nether regions in the middle of an outdoor opera. You can tell us your sexual fantasy." 

CJ glanced around the table at the heavy lidded expectant eyes. They were all drunk. Hell, she was drunk; they wouldn't remember a thing in the morning. "Okay," CJ took a shot for fortitude. "I've always had this fantasy of having sex in the press room." 

"That isn't so outrageous," Abbey scoffed. She was a veteran of clandestine sexual encounters with her husband. 

"In front of the entire White House press corps, TV cameras and all." CJ hid her hot face behind her hands as the girls gasped with mirth. 

"And who…pray tell, would you be having this public sex with?" Abbey asked. 

CJ was silent for a long moment her face turning redder by the second as she whispered. "Danny Concannon." 

"I KNEW it!" Abbey cried out slamming her hand on the table. "I KNEW you still had the hots for him." 

"Who's Danny Concannon?" Jane asked. 

"He's a reporter," CJ said. 

"Were you lovers?" 

CJ's eyes got a faraway dreamy look. "Oh…honey, I WISH." 

"One of these days, CJ," Abbey said waving her finger back in CJ's face. "Mark my words. You two BELONG together." 

"Abbey's been pimping for me and Danny going on about three years now." 

"I'm jus' saying," Abbey slurred. "When it's right, it's RIGHT. You can't fight fate. Believe me, I KNOW." 

CJ's mind centered on the very special relationship that existed between the President and his First Lady. "I know you know." 

"Okay ladies, next question." Millie was eager to hear what she was going to be asked next. CJ grabbed a card. 

"If you could enhance any part of your body what would it be…Oh, I should have gotten that one." 

"What would you have answered?" Millie asked. 

CJ looked down ruefully at her chest. "My itty bitty titties. I would have said that I wanted a set of knockers like Abbey's." 

"Well," Millie glanced down at her own chest. "I'm no Abbey, but my tits are okay. I think I'd like to enhance my eyes." 

"Your eyes?!" The group erupted in unison. 

"Yes," Millie said defensively. "I've always felt that my eyes are too small for my face. I'd like bigger more expressive eyes." 

Drawn by the peals of laughter coming from the porch, the guys made their way over. By the time they got there, Abbey, Millie and CJ were singing along with radio and dancing – if you could call it that – rather drunkenly to an old Captain & Tenille song. 

> _Love, love will keep us together;  
>  Think of me babe whenever   
> Some sweet talking guy comes along singing his song ––   
> Don't mess around, you got to be strong,   
> Just Stop," Their hands were held out as if stopping traffic   
> 'cause I really love you,   
> Stop, I'll be thinking of you ––   
> Look in my heart and let love keep us together. _   
>    ( _Love Will Keep Us Together_ by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield)

"Very nice, babe. Great moves." Jed was clapping as he climbed the stairs to the porch with a wide grin on his face. 

"Jed! Look everybody is my Jeddy." Abbey sashayed unevenly across the porch tripping just as she got to him and falling against his chest. 

"Whoa." Jed caught her and took the shot glass from her hand. 

Abbey wrapped her arms around his waist nuzzled into his chest. "I really, really love you," she slurred. "An' we have a great sex life even if we only got four out of five stars on that stupid quiz." 

Jed laughed and lifted her chin. "You're drunk." 

"No'm'not," she protested. "Juss had a few." 

"You, my beautiful angel, are completely snockered." 

"Maybe juss a little bit," Abbey squinted trying to get her thumb and forefinger to show him that she was just the tiniest bit drunk. 

Jed gave a snort of laughter. He'd had a beer or two too many but his wife was absolutely plastered. He put an arm tightly around her waist and she leaned very heavily against him, stumbling a bit as they made their way to the table where Jed saw the pile of naughty lingerie. "Whoa, Happy Birthday, Mr. President." He lifted a skimpy teddy to examine. 

"Is not your birthday, Jeddy." Abbey shook her head. 

"It may as well be. I think I hit the mother load here. What do you think, guys?" Thankful that his father-in-law had retired much earlier to help put the twins to bed and spend time with them, he waved the garment to a very appreciative and somewhat jealous group of men. 

Abbey giggled and snuggled into his side like a little kitten rubbing him for attention. She was definitely amorous and adorably sexy when she was drunk. 

"Well, I must say your poker game over here sounded like a lot more fun than ours." 

"We didn't play poker," Millie told him. 

"We played truth or dare," CJ added. "Or at least the truth part." 

"My, my, my, now doesn't that sound intriguing." Jed grabbed a card from the pile on the table his eyes widening with surprise. "Ahhh…it's a bit of a naughty game, is it?" 

"What's it say, sir?" Josh was intrigued. 

"It says quite bluntly, 'spit or swallow?'" It took a moment for him to regain his composure on that one and Abbey was giggling into his chest. He covered her lips with his finger and gazed down at her with a lascivious grin. "I already know your answer, sweet knees, but should we send the question out?" 

"Spit or swallow what?" Nora's wide-eyed question was met with a huge eruption of laughter from both the men and the women now gathered around the table. 

"Actually, we were up to Abbey's turn," Vivian said. 

"Well, by all means, let's hear the question." Jed sat at the table, Abbey landing heavily on his lap and curling up to him. Absent-mindedly his hand began stroking her silky hair. Leo, Josh and Toby just stood hovering in the background not sure if they should go or stay. 

"If your lover wanted you to star in a porno movie, how would you feel about that?" 

"HUH," Jed snorted. "As if. The only way I'd want Abbey-kins here starring in a porno would be if I were her co-star." 

"You're always my co-star, Jeddy." Abbey's languid hand rose to trace her finger over his lips. 

"You know," Vivian eyed them speculatively. "That's the going rage now. Couples are videotaping themselves having sex, making their own home pornos." 

"Oh, Vivian, don't give them any ideas," CJ groaned. "I've had a hard enough time explaining the pictures on the Internet." 

"You had nude pictures on the Internet?" Nora came out of her alcohol-induced haze long enough to comment on that statement. 

"Noooo," Abbey giggled. "The nude ones weren't on there, juss the semi nudes and sexy ones." The entire group went silent jaws dropping, well, except for Jed who was now grinning widely. 

"There are NUDE ones out there?" Leo moved from friend to Chief of Staff in less than a second. "Who took them?" 

"They aren't 'out there'." Abbey flung her arm out expansively. "There's one pitcher. Jeddy took it and he has the only copy. Keeps it with him at all times." 

"My own private pin up girl," Jed stroked her cheek. "Better than any _Playboy_ centerfold." 

"'Cause he was LONELY all week in Washington." 

The group looked puzzled and Jed had to explain. "She means back when I was in Congress." 

"Well, then I guess this next question is a moot point," Jane laughed. "Would you ever allow your lover to photograph you nude? Evidently that's a big fat yes." 

"I don't mind…I love my Jeddy." Those were Abbey's last words as her eyes closed and her head fell heavy against Jed's chest. 

"Well, she's out." Jed kissed the top of Abbey's head. "Looks like we'll be calling it a night." He stood with Abbey still in his arms. 

"Need some help with her?" Leo asked. 

"Nah, I've got her. Night everyone." 

Abbey was a slender, tiny woman, but drunk and passed out she was complete dead weight. Jed made so much noise going up the stairs with her to their bedroom that he woke Michael and Beth. Michael's eyes widened when he saw Jed carrying his daughter down the hall. 

"What's wrong, is she okay?" 

"She's fine," Jed assured him. "Just a few too many tequila shots." 

"Need any help?" 

"I'm all set. I'm just going to put her to bed." 

Once they were in the bedroom Jed proceeded to gently undress her down to her skimpy underwear then slipped a silky nightgown over her head before sliding her between the cool sheets. She stirred once her heavy eyes focusing on his cloudy image. 

"Don't think your penis is messy, Jeddy." She flashed him an angelic smile then promptly passed out. 

Jed shook his head with a rueful grin as he tucked the covers in around her. "Man, would I love to have been a fly on the wall at YOUR party tonight." 

He stayed with her for a few moments watching her sleep then once he was sure she was out for the night, he stripped off his clothes down to his boxers, quickly brushed his teeth and brought a glass of water and the bottle Advil to set on the nightstand beside her. 

"Oh, beautiful," he brushed the hair back off her forehead and pressed a tender kiss there. "You are going to have one hell of a headache in the morning." 


	5. Summer of Us, The

Chapter 5 

"Mommy, Mommy…" 

Abbey was laying on her stomach, her hair covering her face and she groaned into her pillow as she felt little fingers poking into her arm. 

"Mommy…Mommy…Wake UP!" 

Abbey whimpered covering her ears as the voices and jostling caused a jackhammer to start pounding in her head. 

"MOMMY," Aislinn was indignant now. "I had a ACCIDENT." 

Abbey cracked one eye, moaning at the shaft of light that was like a knife to the brain. A louder moan was emitted when she was able to focus in on her daughter standing before her naked from the waist down holding her little pink wet undies and pajama bottoms in her hand. The smell of urine caused her stomach to churn dangerously. 

"Jed," she whimpered. "Oh…please…Jed. Handle this." 

Jed stretched out with a yawn then sat up rubbing his fingers vigorously through his hair. "What's all the racket?" he asked. 

"Daddy, I pee peed my pants." Aislinn's bottom lip jutted out and Jed knew he had to avert the tears she was about to unleash and that would no doubt cause agony for his wife. 

"It's okay, sunshine." He swung his legs over the side of the bed. "Give me your wet PJs and we'll give you a quick bath and change your sheets before breakfast." 

"I'm HUNGWY," Nicholas demanded. 

Jed smiled as he dropped Aislinn's PJs in the hamper and heard another moan coming from the bed. Abbey had curled herself up into the fetal position in the middle of the bed and had shoved a pillow on top of her head. "Okay, guys, ssshh." He covered his lips with a finger. "Let's get out of here and let Mommy get some more sleep." 

"Owe you," Abbey groaned from under the pillow. 

Jed grinned. "I'll be collecting." 

**** 

"Mommy, why you gots your sunglasses on in the house?" 

Abbey cringed at the sound of her son's seemingly louder than normal voice. 

"Don't yell, Nicholas, I'm right in the room." 

"I didn't yell, Mommy." 

Abbey's fingers pressed into her temples to try to ease the pounding in her head. Jed took pity on her. 

"I know you weren't yelling, Nicholas, but why don't we all try talking really quietly this morning because your mom has a bad headache." 

"Thank you," Abbey mouthed at him. 

"Did you see the aspirin I left you on the nightstand?" 

Abbey nodded then groaned at the pain that created in her head. 

"Mommy," Aislinn wrinkled her nose at her. "Is you sick?" 

"Mommy overindulged a little last night and now she's paying the price." 

"What's oberinbulged?" 

"Hopefully, you won't know until you are well over the age of consent." 

Abbey sat at the table with the twins, thankful that they were more interested in eating the cereal Jed had made for them than questioning her. She smiled gratefully at her husband when he placed a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice into her hand and began to massage her tense neck muscles. 

"Where is everyone?" She leaned back into those wonderful hands. 

"Seems like it was quite the night for all you women. Everyone is still sleeping except for our mothers who are outside ordering the people setting up for the ceremony tomorrow around. 

"Glad someone's overseeing it. I'm certainly not up for the task. Can I ask you a question?" 

"Anything." 

"How did I get up to bed? The last thing I remember was sitting on your lap talking about – blow jobs," she whispered the last two words so little ears would not deign to repeat breakfast conversation to everyone later in the day, "and the next thing I knew I was waking up in a nightgown I don't remember putting on." 

"You didn't put it on. I did. I carried you upstairs and tucked you in all snug as a bug in a rug. Your Jeddy knows how to take care of his gal." 

"My what?" Abbey turned puzzled eyes his way. 

"Your Jeddy," he grinned. "That's what you kept calling me last night." 

"Oh God," she sighed, rubbing her forehead. "I was totally tanked." 

"You were totally adorable. And yes, totally tanked." He kissed her forehead and rose to grab the bread that had just popped in the toaster. He brought the lightly browned toast back to the table putting in front of her. 

"Oh, Jed," she groaned. "I can't eat anything." 

"You need to get something in your stomach. It will help. It's just dry toast." 

Abbey nibbled on the toast warily and sipped at her juice. Between the food and the aspirin she had taken earlier she was starting feel just a bit more human. 

"Could somebody please make them stop all that racket outside?" 

Abbey looked up to see Vivian enter the room with big dark sunglasses covering her eyes. 

"You!" She pointed to the older woman, her shoulders rising to try to cushion her ears from the sound of her own loud voice. 

"Please, for goddsake, do not yell this morning," Vivian moaned. 

Aislinn looked up from her bowl of cereal her blue-green eyes two pools of innocence. "Did you oberinbulge too?" 

Vivian chuckled in spite of herself and bent down to pinch a cherubic little cheek. "I sure did, honey." 

"Whatever possessed you to bring that much tequila on TOP of the Jamaican rum." 

"Hey, don't blame me if you can't hold your liquor." 

Jed snorted with laughter. He liked Vivian's spunk. 

"Me? You don't look any better than I do. You do realize that we have a spa appointment this afternoon, don't you?" 

"I'm trying not to think about that right now." 

"A hang over and a bikini wax in the same day. It'll be a miracle if I make it through." 

"Oh, honey, how bad can it be?" Jed asked. 

Abbey turned to him with dangerously narrowed eyes. "Would you like to find out?" 

"What?" Jed took a step back fearful of that glint in her eye. 

"I have some wax that I use for my legs upstairs. How 'bout we heat it up and I'll rip the pubic hair out of YOUR groin." 

Jed's eyes widened with horror, his balls contracting with the just the IDEA of that happening. 

"Mommy, what's pubic hair and why do you want to rip Daddy's out?" Aislinn asked. 

A loud guffaw came from the doorway. Jed and Abbey turned to see Danny Concannon standing there with a big smile on his face. 

"Be very, very thankful that I am here right now in a personal capacity," he teased. "My job is only to cover the ceremony tomorrow so I'll be keeping that interesting little tidbit to myself." 

"See that you do," Jed grumbled. "What are you doing here so bright and early?" 

"CJ told me to meet her here to go over tomorrow's itinerary." 

"Oh yeah, when did you she tell you that?" 

"Yesterday morning." 

It was Jed's turn to laugh. "You're going to be in for a bit of wait, my boy. You see the girls all got completely plastered last night and most of them are still sleeping it off." 

"I resent that, Mr. President." A very disheveled CJ was climbing the steps to the porch the requisite dark sunglasses covering her eyes. "I am a complete professional…I…" her nose quivered as she got a whiff of the piece of greasy bacon that the President was munching on and she made a mad dash for the porch rail heaving the contents of her stomach into the bushes. 

"A complete professional," Danny smiled and moved to rub her back while she vomited. 

"I am," CJ protested. "I can't help it if I have a touch of the flu." 

Danny picked up one of the empty bottles that were still lying on the porch. "A tequila flu is it? Funny, but it seems like Mrs. Bartlet has that flu too." 

"Well, it's very catchy." CJ squared her shoulders trying to regain her dignity but tripped as she neared the doorway. She closed her eyes against Danny's laughter. 

"You know, keep it up and I can have you replaced by another reporter tomorrow." 

"No you won't," Danny's grin grew wider. "Not if you don't want me writing about how the First Lady was threatening to rip the pubic hair out of the President's groin." 

CJ's eyes widened as they fell on Abbey who was still seated at the table rubbing her temples. 

"Did you–" 

Abbey shrugged. "He asked how bad a bikini wax could be." 

CJ glared at the President and shook her head. "Men." 

**** 

"Daddy, use my worms." Jed glanced up from where he and Michael were starting to bait the kids' fishing poles. Nicholas was digging his hand into the dirt that filled the coffee can that housed the worms he'd dug up last night. They were on the _Zellie_ , the Boston Whaler that had been christened so by Zoey and Ellie, and they had anchored in a quiet cove to do some fishing. 

"Okay, bring them over." 

Nicholas found a worm and dangled it in front of his father. Jed took it from him and started to slide it onto the hook. 

"Daddy, STOP!" Aislinn shouted. "I don't LIKE that." 

"What is it, honey?" 

"I don't LIKE what you're doing." 

Jed glanced down at the squirming worm on the hook. "Aislinn, it doesn't hurt the worm." 

Aislinn crossed her arms over her little chest defiantly. "I don't want you to do that to the wormies." 

"Your Daddy's right, sweetheart," Michael tipped his granddaughter's baseball cap. "It doesn't hurt the worms." 

"How do you know? Wormies don't talk." 

"We need worms to catch fishies," Nicholas told her. But, even Nicholas was not going to be able to sway his sister on this matter. 

"Daddy, if you do that again I'm gonna tell Mommy." 

"I'll tell you what. How about we use clams for your hook." Jed showed her the clam. Aislinn had watched her parents and big sisters eating those before and she didn't see a problem with using them. 

"Okay, you use the clam. But, NO wormies." 

"I promise," Jed solemnly crossed his heart. "No worms on Aislinn's hook." 

Once the fishing poles were all set, Jed took out the sunscreen and began reapplying it to any bare skin on his children. 

"Didn't you already do that before we left?" Michael asked. 

"Yeah, but Abbey's real anal about the sunscreen. If they come back even slightly pink she'll have my head. Just covering my butt." 

"Sunscween is 'PORTANT." Nicholas told his grandfather. "Mommy said so." 

"Well, your mommy is very right." 

"Daddy said my mommy is your little girl," Aislinn said. 

"She certainly is," Michael grinned. 

"My mommy's not a little girl," Nicholas giggled. 

"She most certainly is. She's MY little girl." 

"Is my daddy your little boy?" 

Jed chuckled. He'd always found it humorous when his children tried to figure out just how their family worked. 

"No. Your daddy is your Grandmother Emily's little boy. He's my son because he married my little girl." 

"Do you love my daddy?" Aislinn squinted up at him. 

Michael gazed over her head at where Jed was baiting his own pole. "Yeah, I love your dad just like he was my own boy." Jed looked up catching his father-in-law's eyes and swallowed tightly. Even after all these years, it could still catch him off guard when Michael spoke this way. 

"I'm my daddy's boy," Nicholas said proudly. 

"You sure are." Jed tapped his son's cap. "Now your grandfather and I are going to show you both how to cast off." 

"I meant what I said, Jed," Michael told him as they settled back with their poles. "You are just as much my son as Evan is." More so, Michael thought with a sigh, but didn't express the sentiment aloud. Everyone knew what a disappointment his weak youngest child had turned out to be. "And, I'm really happy that you and Abbey are having this ceremony. You both had one hell of year." 

Jed nodded. "Sometimes I look back and I can't believe how far that we've come." 

"You're both to be commended for that. You've built a very strong foundation for your marriage. It may shake every once in a while but it will never shatter." 

Jed nodded. "I really believe that. And I believe that as horrific as last year was it actually ended up strengthening our marriage. I think we both feel that we've grown as a couple because of it and that was one of the reasons that we wanted to have this vow renewal." 

"Well, having born witness to the tough times that you both had, Beth and I are both thrilled to be part of your joy." 

"Well, Abbey and I are both very happy that you could join us and be a part of the celebration." 

"Daddy! Daddy!" Nicholas shrieked. "My bobber goed down!" 

**** 

Vivian and Millie were in the middle of having manicures when Abbey walked gingerly out of one of the private rooms in a bathrobe. Vivian bit her lip to keep from laughing as she watched Abbey's obvious discomfort. 

"You okay?" Millie asked. "You're a little pale." 

"I'm fine," Abbey said, then turned to one of the assistants. "May I have a bottle of water please." 

"Yes, Ma'am." 

"You got the bikini wax, didn't you?" Vivian grinned. 

Abbey nodded and took the bottle of spring water she was offered, lifting it in a mock salute to the other women. "No guts. No glory." 

"It's the price you pay for having a great enough bod that you're still able to showcase it in those tiny bikinis," Millie told her. 

Abbey took a long swallow from the bottle. "Don't let Emily hear you say that or I'll get the 'vanity is a sin' speech." 

"Mrs. Bartlet, we're ready for your pedicure." 

Abbey smiled at the other two. "Now comes the good part." She followed the woman to another room and reclined back in the chair. Tranquil music filled the room along with the relaxing sound of rushing water from the rock fountain. While her feet were soaked and massaged and her toenails painted a pretty raspberry color that would match her fingernails, another woman gave her a soothing facial. Now this was more like it. The pain of the waxing was put far behind her as her body moved into the pampering stage. The residual headache from her hangover vanished under salon workers ministrations and by the time that she and her huge entourage – that had included not only Nora, Millie, Vivian and Jane, but also all three of her daughters and her mother and mother-in-law – left the spa, Abbey felt like a whole new woman. 

**** 

By the time Jed, Michael and the children got back from the harbor, the women had all returned from their afternoon at the spa. Jed smiled as he saw Abbey standing with a hose watering the roses. She wore a pair of navy sweat shorts and a white tank top. Her feet were bare and her long hair was pulled up into a high ponytail with loose tendrils escaping and curling against her slender neck. 

"Mommy, Mommy!" The children raced to her faces bright with excitement. "We caughted lots of fish." 

"You did?" Abbey grinned looking down into their sweaty, dirty, beaming faces. "Did you catch enough to have for supper tonight?" 

"Uh huh. Daddy and Gampy cleaned them out on the boat." 

"It was YUCKY," Aislinn grimaced. "They cutted them open and it was all bloody and YUCKY." 

"It is pretty yucky, isn't it?" 

"Says the surgeon." Michael smiled and kissed his daughter's cheek. 

"Mom, they're filthy," Zoey wrinkled her nose at her siblings. "You want me to give them a quick bath before supper?" 

"I'd appreciate that, hon. Thanks." 

"Come on, kiddos. Let's go clean up." Zoey took each of their little hands and led them into the house. 

"I think I'll go clean up myself." Michael started up the stairs to the porch. 

Abbey nodded and turned her attention back to the flowers. She jumped when she felt hands close over her shoulders and lips nuzzling into her neck. 

"Jed!" 

"You look like you're feeling better." 

"I feel much better." 

"Good," he settled his lips back against her neck, his finger teasing a loose strand of hair. 

Abbey swatted at his hand. "Jed. Stop. You're as filthy as the kids and you smell like fish." 

"I love it when you play hard to get." 

"I'm not PLAYING anything." She turned around aiming the hose at him. "Don't make me do it." 

"You wouldn't dare." 

He should have known better than to utter those three words to Abbey. She squeezed the nozzle aiming right at his crotch. 

"Oh, baby, you are going to pay for that." Dripping wet, Jed lunged for her. Abbey shrieked and threw the hose down. Jed grabbed her by the waist and when she tried to kick at him to get away they both fell down onto the grass, Jed on top of Abbey. 

"Get off of me, you big oaf," Abbey giggled. 

"Not a chance. I've got you just where I want you." 

"You're full of fish scales! You're getting me all dir–" Jed cut her off covering her lips with his. Abbey's words were lost in his mouth as he forced her lips open with his and slid his tongue against hers with a moan. Any resistance Abbey might have had faded as his tongue stroked hers and he kissed the breath out her while his hands moved over her hips and up to the sides of her breasts. 

"Hey, break it up, you two. I don't want to have to use this." 

At the sound of Leo's voice, Abbey and Jed froze, their amorous intensity fading. Jed rolled off Abbey's torso and they both sat up to see Leo standing with the hose pointed at them as if they were two horny dogs. 

Leo swallowed tightly his eyes settling on Abbey. Her wet grass stained white tank top clung to her full breasts, nipples hardened against the damp fabric. Her shapely smooth tanned legs were revealed by the short sweat shorts and were tipped by very feminine pink painted toenails that matched her fingernails. Long curling strands of disheveled auburn hair rested along her bare slender shoulders. A part of him still felt guilty at his very male response to her sexuality, but now he was able to separate those feelings of longing that he had pushed deep into the recesses of his soul from the very normal response that any man would have seeing a woman such as Abbey looked right now. He knew damn well that Josh or Toby or any straight male for that matter, would have had the same appreciation of her, but without the accompanying guilt. 

"I, uh, guess we got a little carried away." Abbey lifted her knees to cover her aching erect nipples. 

"I guess you did." Leo smirked at the sheepish looks they gave him. "I figured I'd just give you a little reminder of the fact that you were tumbling around outside where the entire world could see you." 

"Well," Abbey brushed at the grass and smoothed her hair trying to regain her dignity as she rose to her feet. "We appreciate it." 

"Yeah, Leo," Jed's eyes narrowed his voice decidedly more grumpy. "We REALLY appreciate it." 

Leo chuckled at the glare his boss sent his way. 

**** 

"Mmm….that smells wonderful." Jed stepped down off the porch, his hair still damp from his shower and approached the grill where Abbey, Beth and Liz were hovering over the lemon and dill marinated fish fillets and the sizzling medley of rosemary seasoned summer squash, zucchini and onions. 

Abbey turned to him her nose wrinkling as she sniffed. "Well, you sure smell a heck of a lot better," she commented. 

"As do you, my love." 

"I smelled fine until you mashed fish scales all over me." 

"Oh, I didn't hear you complaining too much once I started kissing you." 

"Jed." Abbey slapped at his arm her face flushing at the grin her mother was giving her. 

"I'm just telling it like it is." 

"Well, why don't you go help Ellie, Sam, Annie and Zoey finish bringing things out to the picnic table. We're eating outside." 

"I don't see Doug helping to set the table." 

"Doug is keeping Gus and the twins amused until supper is ready." 

"Well…I could do that." 

"Sorry, you're too late, the job is already taken. Now go help the girls set the table." 

"Hmph." Jed turned away in a sulk. "I thought that I was the commander-in-chief," he muttered. 

"Did you say something, darling?" Abbey asked. 

"Not a thing, DARLING." 

Abbey bit back a laugh but smiled at his retreating form. "I didn't think so." 

Supper was enjoyed by all but especially the twins who were thrilled with the idea of eating their "catch". When they were finished eating Abbey suggested that they start clearing and have coffee on the porch but Jane stopped her. 

"Before we have coffee there is something that we want to give you and Jed." 

"Jane," Abbey protested. 

"I know, I know, you said 'no gifts', but this is something special that we wanted to do for you." 

Abbey watched the girls come down from the house with a huge gift wrapped box and wondered what on earth it could be. 

"Before you open it," Jane continued, "I want you to know that everyone here participated in making this for you. We wanted to give you something from our hearts to show you both how much you mean to all of us." 

The box was placed in front of Abbey and Jed and the two began to unwrap it together. Abbey's eyes widened as she saw the cream colored satin quilt and as she began to pull it out tears welled in her eyes. 

"It's a combination wedding and memory quilt," Jane told them. "I did the painting of the scenes, Mom and Emily did some embroidering and the girls sewed their memory fabric." 

Abbey nodded and asked the girls to hold it open for them so they could view it properly. 

"Oh, Abbey," Jed reached for her hand. At the very center of the quilt was a giant square with both their names embroidered and the date of their wedding along with a beautiful Celtic cross and the words Hope, Love and Faith on each tip. Surrounding Abbey's name was a picture of a horse, a mountain, the cresting waves of the sea, a book, a baby and the Caduceus symbol of medicine. Around Jed's name was a basketball, a "fighting Irish" football jersey, symbols for each of the New England sports teams, a podium and the back of a father with his children gazing at a pond. Then starting up on the far-left corner of the quilt, the story of their life together began. Some of the squares were painted, some embroidered and some had special pieces of fabric. Together Abbey and Jed scanned the timeline of their life. The first row held: the Golden Dome of Notre Dame with the statue of "Our Lady" perched on top where they had met and fallen in love, St. Mary's by the Sea, the lovely stone church where they had been married, Prince Albert Bridge which they had been able to view from their Battersea apartment in London, and the letters LSE-Ph.D. The first square of the next row held the beginning of the Bartlet family with the birth of their first child Elizabeth Anne Bartlet. 

"Oh, God," Abbey moved closer reaching out to touch the embroidered name and the fabric and turned to Elizabeth. "Is that your christening gown?" 

Liz nodded. "We just cut the bottom off. And that piece there is from my wedding gown," 

"And this is from your Dartmouth sweatshirt." She ran a finger over the soft green fabric and the big D. 

"Then look here, Abbey," Jed drew her eye to the next square. It's Harvard Yard and the Boston skyline for your time in Med. school." 

"And Boston College where you got your first teaching job. And here is Dartmouth, and, oh, look at the farm." 

Jed took in the detail of the big farmhouse and the barn, the paddocks that held horses, the cows by the pond and the lovely little orchard. 

"It's gorgeous. It look's just like the farm." He turned to his sister-in-law. "You did a magnificent job with this." 

"And look what's next." Abbey's eyes grew watery again as she stroked the square that read 'Eleanor Emily Bartlet'. 

"Is that what I think it is?" Jed turned to Ellie. "Did you actually cut a piece off Buffy?" 

Ellie nodded through her tears and rested a hand on her father's shoulder. "I cut her tail off." Buffy was the stuffed kitten that he had given her for her first birthday and that she had refused to be parted with even when the animal's fur had begun to come off in patches. Buffy had gone off to college with her and now sat on her bureau in her apartment in Baltimore. 

"And this is the plaid from your field hockey skirt," Abbey said. 

"I couldn't believe it when we were in the attic and I saw that you had kept it." 

"We couldn't return it to the school because you had torn it, but I kept it as a memento." 

Following Ellie were Catholic Medical Center in Manchester where Abbey had done her training and the New Hampshire Legislature in Concord where Jed had first been elected as a state representative. 

"And then, little Zoey Patricia." Jed turned to grin at his daughter who moved forward to examine her square with her parents. 

Abbey eyed the soft pink and yellow fabric she knew so well. "That's a piece of your me-me." 

"Me-me?" Sam asked. 

Abbey grinned. "It was the blanket we brought her home from the hospital in after she had spent all that time in the neo-natal unit and like Miss Aislinn over there, little Zoey would not go anywhere without her blankie. But, we started calling it her me-me because whenever I or Jed or one of the girls tried to take it away from her she would yank it back crying 'me, me, me'." 

"Hence, it became my me-me." Zoey grinned. 

"And here's a first place ribbon from a horse show." Jed's finger traced the satiny blue ribbon. 

"That's our Zoey," Abbey kissed her cheek. "God, we loved to watch you ride." 

"Okay, okay, no mushy." Zoey wiped at her eyes. "Look, Daddy, here is Sweden and your Nobel Prize and the _Abigail Anne_ , and Mom, here's where you became a full fledged doctor." 

Abbey gazed at the square that held the pocket of her lab coat and the embroidered Abigail Bartlet, MD along with a piece of a faded green scrub below it that indicated her specialty. But, it was the next square that caused her to move closer. Her face went slack and she swallowed past the lump in her throat as she felt Jed take her hand. 

"You okay?" he asked. He'd felt her stiffen. Knew the moment she had seen it. 

She nodded as her finger traced lightly over the little angel wings, but her voice was hoarse when she spoke. "Peter Michael Bartlet –– He Walks With God." 

"Is it okay that we put him on there?" Zoey asked hesitantly. "We didn't mean to make you sad." 

Abbey turned to her family looking into the faces of her worried daughters sister and parents. "It's more than okay that you put him on there. I would have been hurt if you hadn't. He was a part of your father and me just the way that all of you are. He was a part of our life, our history and now he'll never be forgotten." 

Jed's arm slipped comfortingly around Abbey's waist and he kissed the top of her head, his own eyes suspiciously shiny. After a brief moment of silence in which together they remembered the son that had been born and died the same day, they moved on to the next squares. 

"Here is the U.S House of Representatives and Boston Mercy and our lovely little Anabeth Abigail Bartlet Westin." Abbey turned to reach out a hand to Annie. 

"Do you like what I did?" Annie grinned. "I put a piece of my swim team bathing suit and a piece of my softball uniform and a patch from my jodhpurs." 

"We love it, baby." Abbey and Jed sandwiched the young girl between them, each kissing a cheek at the same time. 

After Annie came the gold domed New Hampshire State House representing Jed's stint as governor and then a large replica of the Oval Office with the embroidered title "President Josiah Bartlet" followed by the White House and the title "First Lady, Dr. Abigail Bartlet." 

"Next is me an' Nicky, Mumma!" Aislinn danced with excitement. 

"I see that. Look at what pretty squares you made. Yours says Aislinn Faith Bartlet and we have pictures of a pony and books and…oh, my, is THIS a piece of your blankie?" 

Aislinn nodded proudly. "I letted Auntie Jane cut a LITTLE of my bankie." 

"Well, Daddy and I really appreciate that." Abbey lifted her into her arms. "We know how much your blankie means to you." 

Aislinn nodded solemnly. She wasn't going to tell her mother of the fit she had pitched when Auntie Jane first made the suggestion. 

"And what about you," Jed looked down at his Nicholas who was clutching his stuffed Tigger tightly to his chest as if someone might again suggest cutting a piece of him off. "I see Nicholas Josiah Bartlet here, but I don't see a piece of your beloved Tigger." 

Nicholas nodded negatively. "Can't cut Tigger, Daddy. It will HURT him." 

"Oh," Jed nodded with understanding. 

"But, look, Jed." Abbey took his arm. "Nicholas had Tigger painted on here for us along with Thomas the Tank and here is a piece of his sleeper." Abbey bent forward swallowing tightly. She could swear she smelled her little boy in the clean fabric. 

"What you doing, Mommy?" Nicholas asked. 

Abbey turned to him with a tremulous smile. "Remembering." 

After Aislinn and Nicholas came Harmony Point on the banks of the Chesapeake and the very last square was a beautiful painted view of Windy Point, the ocean laid out beyond the high rocky cliffs. The square was embroidered _Jed and Abbey, A Celebration of our Love July, 2004_. 

"This is just…" Choked up, Abbey turned to her family "…I don't know what to say." 

Jed reached out to wipe a tear from Abbey's cheek. "It's incredible. We're going to treasure this forever." 

"Janie, we can frame the quilt, can't we? I'd like to hang it back at the farm. It's too precious to use as a throw and I want people to be able to see it." 

"Of course you can. I know someone who does hand carved frames. I'll get you his name and when you get back from Europe you can give him a call." 

"Thank you," Abbey embraced her sister knowing that Jane had done most of the work. "I love you, Janie." 

"Okay, you old sap," Jane backed off wiping at her eyes. "Now you've made me all weepy." 

"Why's everybody cwying?" Aislinn asked. 

"We're not sad, baby." Abbey lifted Aislinn up onto her hip. "We're smiling because we're happy." 

Nicholas scrunched up his face with confusion. Jed laughed. 

"One day you'll understand, buddy." 

**** 

Later, when darkness had descended and the house was quiet Jed found Abbey on the porch staring out at the moon shining off the sea. 

"Want some company?" he asked wrapping his arms around her from behind. 

"Sure." She snuggled back up against him. 

"So," his lips pressed against her cheek. "Are you going relegate me to the guest room tonight?" 

Abbey chuckled. "We don't have a guest room tonight. The inn is full." 

"Well, I'm not sleeping on the couch," he grumbled. "It's too short." 

"You don't have to sleep on the couch. You can sleep in our bed provided you're a good boy and keep your hands to yourself." 

"Oh, fine," he sighed. "If that's what you want." 

"Just think about tomorrow night." 

"If I think about tomorrow night, I'll not be keeping my hands to myself." 

Abbey turned in his arms to smile up at him a feeling of gratitude filling her at the fact that he wanted her just as much today as he had when they first got married – and that she felt the same. "You're priceless, you know that, don't you?" 

"I do. And you love me." 

"I do." She tiptoed up and kissed him gently on the lips then took his hand. "Let's go up to bed. We have a big day tomorrow." 

"Indeed we do." 


	6. Summer of Us, The

Jed paused on his way out the door of the guesthouse to glance at the television where CJ was giving a quick press briefing. Having left the main cottage quite a few hours ago after his and Abbey's early morning meeting with Tom, so that Abbey and the women could have free run of the place to dress, he had been hanging out with the guys playing cribbage to kill time and finally starting to dress for the afternoon ceremony. News footage of the ceremony had been on non-stop since the previous night when his and Abbey's interview had been shown. The base of the driveway to the cottage had become complete controlled pandemonium. The Secret Service and local and state police were trying to control not only the news media but the thousands of people who had shown up knowing they wouldn't see the President and First Lady but wanting to be part of things anyway. The airway over Windy Point was closed off, as it always was when the President was in attendance, and nobody would be able to get within twenty miles of the coast from the sea; however, the national media had descended before dawn at the edge of the drive hoping for the best view of the people who would be arriving. Right now they were fighting for a view of CJ while she briefed. 

"Officiating the ceremony will be Father Tom Cavanaugh who also married the Bartlets. Standing with the President will be his Chief of Staff and Best Man at his wedding, Leo McGarry. Preceding the First Lady down the aisle will be her former Maid of Honor Millicent Griffith, the Surgeon General, her cousin Nora O'Neill, daughters Elizabeth Bartlet Westin, Eleanor and Zoey Bartlet, and granddaughter Anabeth Westin who will all be wearing strapless gowns of silk in a rainbow of pastel colors. Also taking part in the ceremony will be flower girl Aislinn Bartlet, the couple's youngest daughter, and the ring bearers, the couple's only son Nicholas and grandson Justin 'Gus' Westin. Music selections will provided by the _Celtic Nights_ with lyrics by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli. The couple will renew both their traditional vows and personal vows that they have written themselves and will exchange newly engraved rings. Giving readings during the ceremony will be various family members as well as Surgeon General Griffith. Both the President and the First Lady made all the reading and music selections themselves. A reception will follow on the grounds where guests will dine on New England clam chowder, chicken medallions in champagne sauce, lobster ravioli with a tarragon cream sauce, and filet mignon. Dessert will include a five tiered vanilla bean cake with a wild Maine blueberry cream filling. There will be a fireworks display at approximately 9 p.m. after which the President and First Lady will leave for two days on the island of Nantucket and two weeks in Ireland before heading to Great Britain for a state visit. That's all folks." 

Ignoring the shouts for more information, CJ got back on the golf cart that had brought her into their midst and departed to dress for the ceremony. 

With the briefing over, Jed made his way across the lawn toward the cottage. Things outside looked like they were shaping up quite nicely. Huge flower arrangements were still being placed around the altar; caterers wandered around in the tent where the food would be served; and the members of the _Celtic Nights_ were tuning their instruments. He watched the buzz of activity for a few minutes before climbing the steps of the porch to stand in the doorway to the cottage. He smiled at the sheer femininity of the moment. The women were running around, some in robes, some in slips, and some in curlers. There was giggling and teasing and wails of distress over the wrong color of lipstick or nail polish. It was a moment that he had witnessed time and time again being the only male in a house full of women and one that never ceased to delight him. 

"Daddy, what are you doing here?" Ellie gasped when she saw her father in his tux pants and dress shirt, his cuffs unbuttoned. "You're not supposed to see Mom before the ceremony." 

"I think that rule only goes for weddings, sweetheart. Where is your mother?" 

"She's upstairs getting ready." Ellie watched her father bound up the stairs. "Are you sure about this?" she called out to his back. 

"Believe me. She's going to want to see me." Jed made his way down the hall and knocked lightly on the bedroom door before opening it. Abbey was seated having her make-up done. She was wearing a short cream colored silk bathrobe and her long hair was still wound up in wide hot curlers. 

"I think it's for you, Ahhbey," Henri's eyes heated as he took in the President, which left Jed feeling like a piece of eye candy. "You know, sir, I did offer to blow you out this morning." 

Jed's eyes widened, his face flushing at the insinuation. Ever since Abbey had told him that Henri had a huge crush on him, he was never quite sure how to take the man. 

"Quit picking on him, Henri," Abbey admonished. Her eyes were still closed while the shadow was applied but a smile touched her lips. "He was referring to your hair, Jed." 

Henri laughed. "Yes, relax, sir, I was referring to blowing out your hair for you, but Ahhbbey said you could handle it." 

"Yeah, uh…I'm all set." Jed stuttered. 

Abbey opened her eyes grinning at her husband's discomfort. "What are you doing here, Jed?" 

"Can we have a minute?" His eyes narrowed pointedly at his wife's hair stylist. 

"Of course. Henri." 

"I need to take those curlers out in exactly ten minutes," Henri warned, "or you'll end up like looking like little orphan Annie." 

"Bossy little man, isn't he?" Jed asked as the stylist departed the room. 

"That's a bit of the pot calling the kettle black," she chuckled then tweaked him under the chin. 

"Mom! I started my period." Elizabeth burst into the room with a tone of disgust. "I'm a few days early so I don't have anything. Do you have any tampons?" 

"In my bathroom." Abbey waved her hand toward the bathroom. 

Jed took a deep breath trying to keep his patience. 

Elizabeth came out of her parents' bathroom with a handful of tampons. "Oh, hi, Daddy, I didn't see you there." She paused to kiss his cheek before heading toward the door then called back over her shoulder. "What are doing here anyway?" 

"I'm TRYING to get to that." Jed followed his daughter to the door and locked it behind her when it was shut. 

"So, what are you doing here?" Abbey lifted a brow at him. "Not having second thoughts, are you?" 

"Hardly," he smirked. "I have something for you. I thought you might want to wear it." He handed her a long black velvet box. Abbey opened it, her breath catching in her throat. As First Lady, she wore some exquisite jewels, but it never got old for her. On the velvet bed lay a beautiful diamond and pearl choker. 

"Jed," she sighed. "It's stunning. It will be perfect with my dress." 

"I know." He smiled in that 'I'm so pleased with myself' way that he had and that was utterly adorable. "I talked to Carolina about what style to get you to go with your gown. But that choker is not nearly as stunning laying there as it will be when you wear it." 

"Will you do the honor?" She turned away from him so that he could fix the clasp at the back of her neck, then turned back to face him, her pretty jade eyes dancing with delight. 

Jed nodded and reached out a finger to trace the glittering jewels at her throat. "You are stunning." 

Abbey touched a hand to her curlers. 

"Even in curlers," he assured her. 

Abbey smiled. " I love it, Jed. Thank you." She kissed him lightly on the lips. "Now I have something for you. I was going to give it to you tonight but since we're exchanging gifts…" She handed him a small gift-wrapped box. 

Jed opened the box and pulled out an antique gold compass that was engraved " _To my true North Star, love Abbey_ " 

Seeing that he was moved, Abbey placed her hand over his on the compass. 

"I don't ever want to lose you, Jed." She lifted his hand kissing the back of his knuckles. "And I want to know that you'll always be able to find me." 

Jed nodded. "Always," he said tightly. "And now we know that we can always find our way home together." He reached out a finger to trail over her cheek; those words more poignant than ever given the year they had just lived through. 

Abbey nodded with a warm smile and fixed the cufflinks at her husband's wrists. "Now, you really need to go so I can finish getting dressed." 

"Don't want me to see your dress?" 

"I don't want you to see what I'll be wearing under my dress." 

"Really?" He raised a brow. 

"I think you're gonna like it," she winked. 

"Can't I just see?" he pleaded. 

"You sound like Nicholas," she laughed. "And the answer is no. Now go sulk off to the guesthouse and finish getting dressed. I'll meet you at the altar in one hour." 

"Okay, one hour." He kissed her hand again and left. 

**** 

Sitting facing the ocean and the rose trellis altar that had been set at the edge of the cliff top for a breathtaking view of the craggy Maine coast and the sea stretched out before them, the guests at the ceremony were treated to a concert of lovely classical music. Mozart and Chopin, Vivaldi and Bach. It was Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" that turned out to be the final song before the ceremony began. As a flutist began the first bars of Pachelbel's "Canon", Jed and Leo stepped out from the gazebo in their white tie and tails taking their place before Father Tom at the altar. Once Jed was where he was supposed to be, he was able to watch his girls make their way from the porch down the long white carpet toward the altar. They were a vision of loveliness in their breezy silk strapless gowns and the double strand of pearls that Abbey had given each of them as a gift – Elizabeth in lilac, Ellie in dusty rose, Zoey in sea foam green, Annie in apricot, and finally Nora in butter cream yellow and Millie in pale blue. Behind the women came the three youngest members of the family. 

Broad smiles wreathed the faces of Jed and the assembled guests as they took in little Nicholas and Gus stiff and formal in their miniature tuxedo and tails carrying the Irish lace pillows that held the rings for the ceremony and angelic little Aislinn in her sleeveless satin ivory dress with a wide pale sage green sash around her waist and a flouncy sage tulle overlay on the skirt. A wreath of wildflowers lay atop her silky blond curls and she was smiling shyly and biting her bottom lip as she dropped the rose petals that filled her Nantucket basket. Nicholas kept his head down with a bashful smile only looking up when he finally reached his father and had his hair ruffled by the smiling man he so resembled. Instead of standing with the other women as she'd been instructed in the rehearsal, the guests chuckled as Aislinn clutched onto her father's leg and stayed there. 

At that moment, the music changed and Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli – who had been a last minute surprise for the First Couple after Celine had been told how much they loved his voice – stood before their microphones while the first bars of "Come What May" preceded Abbey's arrival to the ceremony. 

Abbey made her way down the stairs of the porch down to the white carpet. The light sea breeze drifted across her bare skin. The sun was bright and white puffy clouds drifted across the brilliant blue sky. It was a glorious day. 

She paused at the beginning of the aisle, her eyes meeting Jed's and emotion filled her chest, caused her heart to skip a beat. There at the end of the aisle smiling widely, looking so distinguished and handsome in his white tie and tails, was the man who had been, and was still, everything to her. She could still feel the same pull to him that she had felt when she was a twenty year old blushing bride, only it was stronger now, more intense. 

She knew that all eyes were on her as she began her descent down the aisle, but Jed's were the only ones that mattered to her. A smile touched her lips as she noticed Aislinn and Nicholas peeking their heads out bashfully from behind her husband's legs and Max and Panda standing with her daughters with big bows around their necks. She gave a soft laugh as Max whoofed his approval when he saw her. 

A collective sigh had arisen from the guests when they stood to witness Abbey's arrival and Jed couldn't take his eyes off her. She was beautiful, as beautiful as he had ever seen her. She wore a simple long halter style ivory silk sheath with an empire waist trimmed in something that glittered and that defined her full breasts and the cleavage above, then skimmed lightly over the soft curves of her body to pool luxuriously at her feet. Her glorious mane of strawberry blonde hair was pulled back on each side by glittering ivory combs and allowed to fall in soft curls over her bare shoulders and down her back. A few pieces of baby's breath and wildflowers were tucked into the curls keeping with the natural simple atmosphere of the ceremony and the diamond and pearl choker sparkled around her neck. 

As she started on her way to meet Jed at the altar, the guests were awarded with a swath of creamy skin all the way to the small of her back with only a few delicate crisscrossing spaghetti straps to hold the bodice in place. The diamante on the straps glimmered in the bright sunshine. The gown defined Abbey, elegant, stylish, classic, and sexy as hell. 

Abbey and Jed's smiles touched across the distance as they reveled in the music and the emotion of the moment, the beautiful voices of Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli reaching out to the very gates of heaven. 

> _"Never knew I could feel like this_  
>  Like I've never seen the sky before   
> I want to vanish inside your kiss   
> Every day I'm loving you more and more   
> Listen to my heart, can you hear it sings   
> Telling me to give you everything   
> Seasons may change, winter to spring   
> But I love you until the end of time 
> 
> Come what may   
> Come what may   
> I will love you until my dying day 
> 
> Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place   
> Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace   
> Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste   
> It all revolves around you   
> And there's no mountain too high   
> No river too wide   
> Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side   
> Storm clouds may gather   
> And stars may collide   
> But I love you until the end of time 
> 
> Come what may   
> Come what may   
> I will love you until my dying day 
> 
> Oh, come what may, come what may   
> I will love you, I will love you   
> Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place   
> Come what may   
> Come what may   
> I will love you until my dying day."   
>    ( _Come What May_ by David Baerwald)

As the song reached its soaring crescendo, Abbey stood before Jed and took his hand. 

"Hey you," she mouthed. 

"You look beautiful," he bent his head and whispered for her ears only. 

"Beautiful for you." She smiled and gave him a heated gaze that told him she appreciated just how fine that he was looking as well. His handsome face was tanned from days in the sun making his beautiful twinkling cerulean eyes appear even bluer so that they hit her with the force of a laser. The sun was shining in his bronze hair bringing out the lighter highlights, the touch of silver at the temples only making him more distinguished. The tuxedo he wore defined his broad shoulders and nipped in at his waist leaving him looking both debonair and very sexy. He really was a fine, fine looking man. Standing before her was not just the boy she had married, but the man that he had become – husband, father, lover, his strength and confidence tempered by compassion and integrity and like a fine wine he only seemed to get better with age. 

A gentle breeze blew off the ocean bringing with it a hint of salt and the perfume of the wild beach roses that grew in profusion along the cliffs. The sun sparkled like diamonds off the deep blue depths of the sea that stretched endlessly toward the horizon and the sound of the surf picked up where the music had left off. It was a perfect day. 

"Good afternoon everyone," Father Tom began. "Today we welcome you on this glorious summer day to the vow renewal ceremony of Josiah and Abigail Bartlet. This is indeed a joyful time for all of us gathered here to share this very special celebration of love and renewal and commitment." 

His gaze moved from the guests to the two standing before him. "Jed, Abbey. It was my pleasure to join you in holy matrimony and I am honored that you have chosen me to officiate this ceremony to rededicate your lives to one another. I remember very well the day that I married you and the two earnest young souls who stood before me so filled with love and promise. You took your vows freely and you have respected those vows over the years. You have learned much. You have loved much. God has blessed you with children, children who love and respect you. Over the years you have learned the meaning of the words 'and the two shall become one'. You have joined together, yet, your individual identities have not been extinguished, but have burned brighter – because in becoming one you have also become more fully yourselves. Love is like that – it brings to fullness and maturity all that is good. It grants people the space to become what God wants them to be – it respects what the spirit has created and the gifts that the spirit gives to each one individually for the common good. It creates wonderful distinction even as it brings unity of heart, mind and soul. 

"So you are two, yet you are one. Your hearts and minds are more deeply joined now than you ever could have imagined when you first took your vows. You know one another as friends, as lovers, as parents, as partners and as fellow workers. The flesh of your flesh testifies to your union, to your oneness; the spirit speaks of how you both are as one in the eternal circle of God. 

"It is a privilege to be with you today – to see that there continues between you a passion for one another – a passion that has only grown through the comfort of your many years together. It has been a blessing to watch your love grow and mature over the years. To see the respect that you have for one another and the seriousness with which you take the commitment you made to one another and to have shared in the sacraments with you, the baptism, communions and confirmations of the beautiful children God gifted you with. 

"As you renew your vows, I urge you to recall those things that have made your relationship succeed: the giving of self, the patience, the making of space, the forgiveness, the encouragement, the prayers, the telling of truth in love, and the willingness to accept and trust one another and to give thanks to God for how he has blessed you. Today you are declaring publicly before God, family and friends that special love that is you; and are re-making a lasting commitment to journey through life as partners in love and life. Today you take a significant step in your relationship by declaring once more, that in spite of the difficulties and hardships of life, that with God's help you will continue to love and be faithful to one another. May that special love you now share continue to grow and blossom in years to come and be sustained by God, family and friends and the commitment you make again this day. 

"Jed and Abbey, when you first joined hands and hearts so many years ago you promised to love, honor and cherish one another through all things. Life has surely brought you both wonderful blessings and difficult tribulations. 

"Therefore, you have fulfilled your promise. God is smiling! So, as you come here today to reaffirm your wedding vows and as you reflect back over all your years together as husband and wife, will you, Josiah, and you, Abigail, pledge to reaffirm the love and commitment you made once before." 

Smiling at each other, they spoke as one. "We will." 

"Josiah, you may make your vow to Abigail." 

Jed turned to his wife taking both her smaller hands into his. As he spoke, his eyes were shining with an earnestness that never failed to touch Abbey's heart. 

"I, Josiah, take you again, Abigail, to be my wife. To have and to hold from this day forth. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will continue to love you and honor you all the days of my life." 

"Abigail." 

"I, Abigail, take you again, Josiah, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forth. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will continue to love you and honor you all the days of my life." 

Abbey squeezed his hands for emphasis as she smiled tenderly up at him. 

At that point Jed's mother and Abbey's parents rose and took their place behind a small pulpit set off to the side. Emily Bartlet and Elizabeth O'Neill shared a reading. Beth spoke first. 

" _Love is patient; love is kind. Love is not jealous, it does not put on airs, it is not snobbish. Love is never rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not prone to anger; neither does it brood over injuries. Love does not rejoice in what is wrong but rejoices with the truth. There is no limit to loves forbearance, to its trust, its hope, and its power to endure. Love never fails._ " 

Then Emily took over. " _Prophecies will cease, tongues will be silent, knowledge will pass away…There are in the end three things that last: faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love._ " 

The two women stepped aside so that Michael could speak. 

> " _Let me not to the marriage of true minds  
>  Admit impediments. Love is not love   
> Which alters when it alteration finds,   
> Or bends with the remover to remove:   
> O no! it is an ever-fixed mark   
> That looks on tempests and is never shaken;   
> It is the star to every wandering bark,   
> Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.   
> Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks   
> Within his bending sickle's compass come:   
> Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,   
> But bears it out even to the edge of doom.   
> If this be error and upon me proved,   
> I never writ, nor no man ever loved." _   
>    ( _Sonnet CXVI_ by William Shakespeare)

As the elderly trio sat back down in their front row chairs, Father Tom stepped back up to the altar. 

"Now that Josiah and Abigail have made their more formal vows, they each have written personal commitments that they would like to make to each other…Josiah…" 

Jed cleared his throat and pulled his reading glasses out of his pocket along with a slip of paper on which he had written his vows. 

"Robert Burns once wrote ' _Just to see her was to love her, love but her and love forever_.' That was how I felt the moment that I saw you, Abbey. One glance was all it took to know that I wanted to spend the rest of my years making you smile the way that you were smiling in that moment. The day that you became my wife I thought I loved you as much as a man could love a woman. I had no idea of how much stronger that love would grow. I wake up every day thinking I'm the luckiest man in the world because I am married to you – the only woman I've ever loved. I love you, Abbey, not only for what you are but for what I am when I am with you. I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you have made and are making of me. You have been and are still the love of my life. You make the hard times easier to bear and the good times filled with more joy than I thought possible. Your love opened up the world for me. You have given me five beautiful children that I adore from the deepest part of my heart. You have made my life much greater and much richer than I ever dreamed it could be. You are my heart, my safe harbor, the other half of my soul. You are truly the very best part of me." 

"Abigail." 

Abbey wiped at the tear that trailed down her cheek careful not to smudge her mascara and she cleared her throat of the emotion that was still caught there after listening to Jed's declaration of love. But, unlike her husband, she was vain enough not to want to wear her glasses and had memorized her vows to him. Voice still tremulous with tears she began. 

"We have been through so much together, Jed – laughter and tears, joy and sorrow – and through all those times, I can honestly say that I loved you every step of the way. Today I want to again pledge my life and love to you. I promise you here today in front of those that we love to keep the good memories alive and to let the bad ones die. I vow not to let the sun go down on our anger, and to treat each morning as a new day to love you. You are God's gift to me, the greatest blessing he has given me. You have truly helped me become the woman that I am today. I have been filled with pride to stand and to continue to stand beside you as your wife, your partner, and it is with profound joy that I am able to look into the faces of my five children and see you there in their eyes, in their smiles. I could not have asked for a better man to love and to love our children and me. Helen Keller once said that the best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart. That is to me our love and our marriage. It is beautiful and passionate, tempestuous and reliable. It is the one true constant in my life. It is everything I ever dreamed a love would be and so very, very much more. You are my North Star, my rock…you are quite simply, my love." She smiled up at him through her tears and reached out a gentle hand to touch his cheek. He took that hand and turned it, reverently kissing her palm as the first strains of music started and Celine Dion took center stage. 

> _"You fill up my senses_  
>  Like a night in the forest   
> Like the mountains in springtime   
> Like a walk in the rain   
> Like a storm in the desert   
> Like a sleepy blue ocean   
> You fill up my senses   
> Come fill me again 
> 
> Come let me love you   
> Let me give my life to you   
> Let me drown in your laughter   
> Let me die in your arms   
> Let me lay down beside you   
> Let me always be with you   
> Come let me love you   
> Come love me again"   
>    ( _Annie's Song_ by John Denver)

As the music ended, Millie stepped forward and began reading Elizabeth Barrett Browning. 

> " _How do I love thee? Let me count the ways  
>  I love thee to the depth and breadth and height   
> My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight.   
> For the ends of Being and ideal Grace   
> I love thee to the level of everyday's   
> Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.   
> I love thee freely, as men strive for right   
> I love thee purely, as they turn from praise   
> I love thee with the passion put to use   
> In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.   
> I love thee with a love I seemed to lose   
> With my lost saints, –– I love thee with the breath,   
> Smiles, tears, of all my life! ––- and, if God choose,   
> I shall but love thee better after death"_   
>    ( _Sonnets from the Portuguese: XLIII_ by Elizabeth Barrett Browning)

Tom turned with a smile toward Gus and Nicholas who were both seated on a small wicker bench behind Leo with their pillows holding the rings sitting on their laps. 

"Boys. May we have the rings please?" 

Leo helped the boys up and urged them over to Father Tom who untied the rings, patted their heads and sent them back to their seats. After blessing the rings he addressed the couple. 

"As these rings are fashioned from one of the earth's most precious material, platinum, so may your love, nourished and sustained by the love of God, be the most precious and durable of the values you share. In giving and receiving these rings you again acknowledge that your lives remain joined in one unbroken circle. Josiah, please place this ring on Abigail's finger as a reminder of your sacred committal." 

Gently, Jed slid the ring over Abbey's finger. "Abigail, take this ring as a symbol of my continued love and fidelity; and with all that I am and all that I have, I continue to honor you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." 

"Abigail, please place this ring on Josiah's finger as a reminder of your sacred committal." 

Abbey smiled and took the ring that Tom held out to her and began to slide it onto Jed's finger. "Josiah, take this ring as a symbol of my continued love and fidelity; and with all that I am and all that I have, I continue to honor you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." Abbey pulled his hand to her mouth and kissed the spot where she had just placed the ring for added emphasis in the moment. 

"For as much as Josiah and Abigail have consented to re-establish the bonds of holy matrimony before God and this assembly and have re-committed themselves completely to each other in the covenant of marriage I pronounce that they are indeed husband and wife. What God has kept together let no man put asunder." 

Caught up in the moment, Jed slid his arm around Abbey's slender waist and pulled her into his embrace his lips covering hers in a long hard kiss that had the guests and Father Tom tittering. It was Abbey who, hearing the muffled laughs, gently pushed at Jed's chest. 

"Well," Tom chuckled. "I realize that you've done this before but you are supposed to wait to be directed by me for the kiss." 

"I couldn't wait any longer," Jed grinned. 

"I can see that. Well, I don't think you'll be complaining about doing it again. Josiah, kiss your wife." 

Jed pulled Abbey back into his arms and this time she kissed him back, tenderly, reverently, with all the love for him that filled her soul. While they finished their kiss and their three siblings stepped forward to prepare for their readings, Celine and Andrea together sang the beautiful and soul stirring "Ave Maria" that was a favorite of both Jed and Abbey. It was incredibly touching for all their loved ones to watch the couple standing together holding hands – gazing into each other's eyes, concentrating on the other as if no one else existed. By the time the two amazing singers were finished, there was not a dry eye to be found. 

When the music was over Jon and Sally gave a reading together. 

> " _You and I_  
>  Have so much love,   
> That it   
> Burns like a fire,   
> In which we bake a lump of clay   
> Molded into a figure of you   
> And a figure of me. 
> 
> Then we take both of them,   
> And break them into pieces,   
> And mix the pieces with water,   
> And mold again a figure of you,   
> And a figure of me. 
> 
> I am in your clay.   
> You are in my clay."   
>    ( _Married Love_ by Kuan Tao-sheng)

The couple stepped back and Abbey's brother Evan took their place. 

> " _They do not love who give the body and keep  
>  The heart ungiven; nor they who yield the soul,   
> And guard the body. Love doth give the whole;   
> Its range being high as heaven, as ocean deep,   
> Wide as the realms of air or planet's curving sweep"_   
>    ( _Love's Trinity_ by Alfred Austin)

Evan continued to stand at the microphone while his sister Jane joined him with her own reading. 

> " _Your love contains the power  
>  of a thousand suns.   
> It unfolds as naturally and effortlessly   
> As does a flower,   
> And graces the world with its blooming.   
> Its beauty radiates a transforming energy   
> That enlivens all who see it.   
> Because of you, compassion and joy   
> Are added to the world.   
> That is why the stars sing together   
> Because of your love._"   
>    ( _Transforming Power_ by Tao Te Ching)

While the four took their seats, Tom addressed the guests. 

"You all may have noticed the three candles lit behind me. The two smaller candles symbolize the individual lives of Josiah and Abigail; the large center candle is the Unity candle where they symbolically become one. In their wedding ceremony, Josiah and Abigail extinguished their individual lights to become one. Today, that Unity candle still burns brightly, proof of the two lives that were merged. May the blessing of light be with you always. Light without and light within. And may the sun continue to shine upon you and warm your heart until it glows like a great fire so that others may continue to feel the warmth of your love for one another. 

"The essence of a good marriage is respect for each other's personality combined with that deep intimacy – physical, mental, and spiritual – which makes a serious love between man and woman the most fructifying of all human experiences. Such love, like everything that is great and precious, demands its own morality, and frequently entails a sacrifice of the less to the greater; but such sacrifice must be voluntary for where it is not it will destroy the very basis of the love for the sake of which it is made. Both Josiah and Abigail have made sacrifices for each other over the years, but those sacrifices were made willingly, lovingly, a gift to the other. They enabled each other to make great achievements in the world because the dreams of the other were as important to them as their own. Love is not selfish; Josiah and Abigail have embodied those words in their marriage, as I am sure you have all witnessed. Now I say to you, Josiah and Abigail, as I said to you at the end of your wedding so many years ago – _Now you feel no rain, for each of you is shelter to the other. You feel no cold, for each of you is warmth to the other, there is no loneliness. You are two bodies, but there is only one life before you. Go now back to your dwelling place, and enter into the rest of your days together. And may your days be good and long upon the earth._

"Ladies and gentleman, Josiah and Abigail Bartlet." 

A loud cheer erupted from the guests as Jed and Abbey turned to face them, hands still clasped tightly. In the same moment Elizabeth, Ellie and Zoey released hundreds of gorgeous, brightly hued butterflies into the sea breeze to soar off into the sky while the rousing "Prince of Denmark's March" proclaimed the joy of the moment and the happy couple began their descent back down the aisle together smiles shining on their beautiful faces, joy radiating from their very beings. 


	7. Summer of Us, The

"Okay, now I'd like a few shots of just the President and the First Lady." 

The rest of the attendants stepped away at the photographers bidding leaving Jed and Abbey standing alone on the rocky point jutting out over the ocean. Jed wrapped his arms around Abbey's waist and she gazed up into his eyes, the breeze gently blowing her hair back off her face and her ivory gown against her body as the photographer continued to snap pictures of them. 

Standing behind the photographer, their children watched them embrace and hold hands – their smiles intimate, their eyes only leaving each other when encouraged by the photographer to look at the camera. 

Zoey gave a wistful sigh. "I hope someday I find what they have." 

"Mmm..." Ellie smiled softly and took her sister's hand her eyes searching out over her head toward Sam. She had a sneaking suspicion that she was well on her way to finding that kind of true love and suddenly that idea wasn't as scary as it had seemed to her before. 

Elizabeth didn't say a word. Her eyes were distant, her chest tight. She was the only one of the trio who was married and yet she too wished that she knew the bliss of true love, of what it would be like to love the way that her parents did. For the past couple of years she'd really begun to wonder just what kind of marriage she had, but one thing was for certain it was nothing like what her parents had. 

"Girls," Abbey's voice brought them out of their own personal thoughts. "Come up here with the twins. Your dad and I would like Stephen to take some pictures of the just the five of you." 

The girls led their younger siblings back up to the rocky point and it was Jed and Abbey's turn to watch as the photographer positioned their children in all their finery for photographs. Her heart full, Abbey reached out to take Jed's hand. 

"God, they're beautiful, Jed." 

Jed nodded. Even a non-biased individual would say that their children were extremely attractive. "We did good, babe." He kissed the back of her hand then turned back to watch his offspring laughing and teasing each other. "I never knew how much I wanted babies until I saw them shining in your eyes. Little girls with strawberry curls and dancing green eyes." 

Abbey laid her head on his shoulder. She knew he spoke the truth because it was something he'd told her many times before. Because of his treatment at his father's hands, he'd never allowed himself to think about becoming a father himself until he'd met her and started thinking that a family might be in his future. 

"I saw them too," she smiled. "Only mine were little boys with beautiful eyes the color of the bluest skies and the sweetest smiles that ever existed." 

"Nicky, stop stepping on my TOES." Aislinn shoved her brother away from her. 

"Don't PUSH me, Azlin. I almost FALLED." Nicholas shoved back at his sister. 

"Okay, you two, knock it off." Elizabeth grabbed Nicky's arm while Zoey grabbed Aislinn. 

Jed grinned down at Abbey. "Uh, we were saying." 

Abbey gave a soft laugh. "Well, they come by the tempers as honestly as their blue and green eyes." 

"That they do." Jed's attention moved from the bickering twins to where Sam was sidling up to Ellie slipping an arm around her waist and kissing her cheek. 

"Hey boy, watch it, that's my daughter you know." 

Both Ellie and Sam snapped to attention and Sam let his arm fall from Ellie's waist, the two of them turning surprised looks Jed's way. The stern visage immediately melted from his face and he grinned at them, winked, and moved on. 

"Shame on you, Jed." Abbey slapped his shoulder as they strode away toward the tent. Jed chuckled. 

"It's my duty as patriarch of this clan to keep the men who sniff around my women on their toes." 

Abbey stopped her eyes widening with incredulity. "Sniff around your women? Tell me you didn't just say that." 

Now Jed was laughing. "Gotta keep you on your toes too, hot pants." He gave Abbey's rear a little smack as he moved ahead of her to snag them each a glass of champagne from a wandering server. 

"Yeah," she rolled her eyes at his back. "Well, I'm starting to get blisters." 

**** 

While the pictures were being taken, the guests were treated to a cocktail hour. Celtic music played softly in the background, champagne was flowing and servers roamed around with trays of _hors d'oeuvres_ – lobster and vegetable spring rolls, mushrooms stuffed with scallops, and fresh shrimp with spicy cocktail sauce. Inside the large tent, candles glittered on all the tables for intimacy. Nantucket baskets filled with fresh fruit – pears, apples, peaches and mangos – made for bright and delicious centerpieces. At each table setting there were carved figurines of New Hampshire granite, creatures that mated for life: loons and wolves, dolphins and whales. Each engraved with _Jed and Abbey's Vow Renewal Ceremony July 8, 2004_ as a keepsake for each of the guests. There were four giant easels positioned at each corner of the tent lit up by tiny white lights and covered with pictures of Jed and Abbey from their courtship throughout their life together, each with four different quotes about love and marriage written in calligraphy across the top. 

" _A great marriage is not when the 'perfect couple' come together. It is when an imperfect couple learns to enjoy their differences._ " Dave Meurer. 

" _Happy marriages begin when we marry the ones we love, and they blossom when we love the ones we marry._ " Tom Mullen 

" _Immature love says: 'I love you because I need you.' Mature loves says;'I need you because I love you.'_ " Erich Fromm. 

" _There is nothing more lovely in life than the union of two people whose love for one another has grown from the small acorn of passion into a great rooted tree._ " Vita Ackville-West. 

Along with the easels was a huge LCD screen continuously playing home videos of the couple and their family along with the video that the girls had had made for them a couple of years earlier to Kenny Rogers' "Through the Years". 

When Jed and Abbey finally joined them all, Michael stood with his glass raised. 

"I know that Jed and Abbey have toasts planned for each other but I just wanted to say a few words on behalf of Beth and myself. Back when my first grandchild, Elizabeth, was born, I told Jed, who was all of twenty-two at the time, that the most important thing a father could do for his children was to love their mother. Jed obviously took my words to heart and still takes them to heart, but today I'd like to take this a step further to say that the best gift any parent can give their children is to truly love each other. In this I can say to you, my beloved grandchildren – Elizabeth, Ellie, Zoey, Aislinn and Nicholas – you have been blessed to grow up surrounded by love and in an atmosphere of stability and respect. Your parents have shown you, through themselves, how to give and how to receive love and that is a legacy that I hope will continue on through many generations of O'Neill-Bartlets to come. To my daughter and son-in-law, they don't come any better than the two of you." 

Abbey stood and hugged her father, smiling as she felt him tug on one of her copper curls as he used to do when she was a little girl. After a few moments, she stepped aside so that Jed could hug the man that he had stopped viewing as a father-in-law many, many years ago. Michael O'Neill was simply "dad", more of a father to him than his own had ever thought of being. While the two men finished their hug, Abbey took the microphone. "First of all, I'd just like to say how grateful that I am that both my parents and Jed's mother are here with us to celebrate this day and that they have remained such a big presence in the lives of Jed, myself and our children. Just this past June my parents celebrated fifty-four years of marriage." 

A loud cheer erupted for the older couple and they stood to acknowledge the moment. 

"They have been tremendous role models in my own marriage, have indeed shown Jed and I just how to do it right and for that we thank them. Now, I guess I'd like to turn my attention to my handsome husband here." She turned with a smile to Jed, champagne glass in hand. "It's funny how a single event can change the whole course of your life. For me that moment came the night that I met you, Jed. There are so many things that I could say about that life altering moment, about the years that we have spent together and the love that I feel for you, but I'm a doctor, not a poet, so right now I'd like to read a poem that for me summons up all the feelings that I have for you, as my husband, my love." 

> " _If ever two were one, then surely we.  
>  If ever man were lov'd by wife, then thee;   
> If ever wife was happy in a man,   
> Compare with me ye women if you can.   
> I prize thy love more then whole Mines of gold,   
> Or all the riches that the East doth hold.   
> My love is such that Rivers cannot quench,   
> Nor ought but love from thee, give recompence.   
> Thy love is such I can no way repay,   
> The heavens reward thee manifold I pray.   
> Then while we live, in love let's so persever,   
> That when we live no more, we may live ever._"   
>    ( _To My Dear and Loving Husband_ by Anne Bradstreet)

She lifted her glass to touch Jed's, then with lips tasting of champagne, gently kissed him to the delight of the crowd. 

"Well, you lifted the bar with that one, Abigail," Jed cleared his throat. "You're a tough act to follow. What I'd like to say to everyone here about you, Abbey, is that while we as people can't always choose who we fall in love with, there are a lot of considerations a person makes when choosing the individual they want to share their life with. Things like shared values and interests and physical and intellectual attraction, but one of the most important things is to choose a mate who will stand strong next to you through the storms. You made a promise to me on the day that we married ' _wherever you go, I will go, wherever you lodge, I will lodge_ '. You've kept that promise, Abbey, even when it hasn't been easy. I think that over the years we've learned that it's easy to love someone in the good times, but it's the tough times that really show you the strength of your love and commitment. You've weathered many storms at my side, Abbey, and there is no one I'd rather have standing beside me than you. If I were to lose everything that I've worked for all my life – all my accomplishments, all my prestige, all my wealth – as long as I still had you by my side, smiling up at me when I enter a room, I'd still feel like the richest man in the world. To you, Abbey, the light of my life." They touched glasses again only this time instead of kissing, Jed reached out a finger to wipe the tear that trailed down his wife's cheek. 

"Mommy, why are you cwying?" Aislinn's question was picked up by the microphone causing every to laugh. 

"Because I'm happy, sweetykins," Abbey laughed and lifted the little girl onto her hip. "And now enough of this mushy stuff, it's time to eat, dance and be merry." 

**** 

After a delicious meal of lobster ravioli, chicken medallions in champagne sauce and filet mignon, the five tiered cake was wheeled out to a chorus of oohs and ahhhs. The White House pastry chef had outdone herself with the beautiful confection. The icing was snowy white dotted with brilliant sugar pasted pansies of vibrant purple and yellow that were so realistic looking it was hard to believe that the cake wasn't simply draped in pansies. Here and there sugar pasted bright blue, orange and yellow butterflies sat on the edge of the layers as if they had just landed. Aislinn and Nicholas were obviously even more enthralled than most of the guests and Jed had to chuckle as he watched them following right on the heels of the server who was wheeling the cake in. 

"Mommy, Mommy, we want cake." Nicholas jumped up and down in front of his mother. 

"You can have cake but first Daddy and I have to cut it." 

Everyone circled around the cake watching Jed and Abbey cut into it and laughing over the fact that they had the same music playing as when they'd cut their wedding cake, "When I'm 64" by the Beatles. As Abbey stood poised with her slice of cake, Jed grinned, singing along. " _Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm 64._ " 

"You'll know pretty soon, won't you?" she grinned impishly, flashing her dimple at him. 

"Ohhhh... you're gonna pay for that one, sweetcakes." He held his piece of cake up threateningly. 

"You have to admit you're a lot closer now than you were when we did this the first time." 

"Yes, but over a decade away is not exactly 'pretty soon' in my book. Besides, let's just remember that you're only a year behind me, tootsie pop, so if I'm close you're just as close." 

"Mommy, I want CAKE." Nicholas tugged at her dress. 

"Okay, okay." 

Gently, respectfully, Abbey and Jed fed each other bites of blueberry cream filled vanilla bean cake, then at the last moment with a laugh, Jed dabbed the tip of Abbey's nose with the frosting telling her it was payback for the "64" comment. Aislinn giggled when she saw her mother's face. 

"Mommy, Daddy gotted fwosting on your NOSE." 

"Yes, I can feel that." Abbey reached for a napkin but Jed stopped her. 

"I've got it." He bent and kissed her nose taking care of the frosting with a quick swipe of his tongue. 

"Mom," Ellie tapped Abbey's shoulder. "The guy doing the music wants to know when you and Dad want to start the dancing." 

Abbey looked up at Jed. "You ready to get this party started?" 

"Whenever you are." 

After making sure that the kids were set up with their cake slices, Abbey took a quick last sip of her champagne just as Jed grabbed her hand and started leading her out to the dance floor. 

"Ladies and gentleman, I'd like you all to direct your attention to the dance floor where the President and First Lady are going to start the evenings entertainment with a special dance." 

The quests crowded around the make shift floor as Jed's hand slipped around Abbey's torso, his warm hand resting on the bare curve at the small of her back. The two fit together as if they were made to be in each other's arms. They moved together with harmony and grace, the soft romantic light of the candles flickering on Abbey's ivory gown, shining in the fiery highlights of her hair and the gentle loving gaze in Jed's eyes. They were focused on one another with a devotion that brought tears to even the most unsentimental of hearts. 

> _Remember when, I was young and so were you_  
>  and time stood still, and love was all we knew   
> You were the first, so was I   
> We made love and then you cried   
> Remember when

Abbey smiled tenderly up at Jed and he gently kissed her lips both of them remembering their innocence and the sweet awakening of their passion. 

> _Remember when, we vowed the vows_  
>  and walked the walk   
> Gave our hearts, made the start and it was hard   
> We lived and learned, life threw curves   
> There was joy, there was hurt   
> Remember when 
> 
> Remember when, old ones died and new were born   
> And life was changed, disassembled, rearranged   
> We came together, fell apart   
> And broke each other's hearts   
> Remember when

Tears clogged Abbey's throat as she thought of the dark winter days that they had just come through and all the hard work that had strengthened their marriage to bring them to this joyous summer of renewal and she buried her face into Jed's chest. She felt his hand tighten against her back holding her protectively against him as his lips nuzzled into her hair. 

> _Remember when, the sound of little feet_  
>  was the music   
> We danced to week to week   
> Brought back the love, we found trust   
> Vowed we'd never give up   
> Remember when 
> 
> Remember when, thirty seemed so old   
> Now lookin' back, it's just a steppin' stone   
> To where we are,   
> Where we've been   
> Said we'd do it all again   
> Remember when 
> 
> Remember when, we said when we turned gray   
> When the children, grow up and move away   
> We won't be sad, we'll be glad   
> For all the life we've had   
> And we'll remember when   
>    ( _Remember When_ by Alan Jackson)

"They look good together," Danny stepped up to where CJ was watching the First Couple dance. CJ nodded. 

"Hey, are those tears I see in your eyes?" 

"Of course not." CJ wiped at her eyes with irritation. "I'm not one of those sentimental women who cry at weddings and anniversaries." 

"No, of course not." Danny shook his head with a smile. "But, I think it's beautiful and sexy to see a couple who've been married as long as the Bartlets who are still as into each other, still as in love as they obviously are." 

"I do too," CJ agreed. "I guess I never really believed it was possible until I met them. There's nothing contrived in that relationship. We've never had to have them fake anything. This is who they are – a loving, long term, monogamous, romantic and fiery couple." 

"You don't have to convince me," Danny grinned. "I've been around them long enough to know that they're the real thing." He glanced up as Shania Twain's "You're Still the One" started and the dance floor began filling up. "Looks like the dancing is open to everyone. May I have this dance?" 

CJ bit her lip, reluctant to get any more deeply involved with Danny than she was. 

"Come on, I don't bite." 

CJ grinned. "Biting isn't exactly what I'm afraid of." 

**** 

"Mommy, I wanna go PLAY." Aislinn tried to pull away from her mother's grip. 

"Hold your horses, young lady." Abbey wiped at her daughter's face with a damp napkin, removing the frosting that was smeared on her lips and cheek. "Now you can go play." 

She watched Aislinn scamper back out of the tent to where Annie was helping Tess, Nicholas and Gus use wands to blow bubbles into the wind. Andi Wyatt stood with them helping young Molly and Huck while Toby looked entirely out of his element but sort of sweet – had she ever thought of the curmudgeonly Toby as sweet? – as he tried to blow bubbles for his little girl. She smiled as the children screamed and giggled with delight when their bubbles floated off into the darkening sky. 

"They certainly look like they're having a good time." Nora approached Abbey with a smile of her own. 

"They certainly are. Are you having a good time? I saw you dancing with Will Byrne." Abbey's eyes twinkled with mischief. 

Nora blushed. "That was the first time I've danced since I was seventeen years old and yes, I'm having a wonderful time. Thank you for asking me to be a part of it." 

"I'm glad you were able to. I missed not having you there as a bridesmaid for my wedding, so it was nice to get a second chance." 

"Everything was just so beautiful and romantic – the music, the readings. And you know, having lived with you and Jed for a while now, I know that the words you said about each other are true. They weren't just lip service." 

Abbey nodded, her eyes falling on Maggie handing off baby Abigail to Will so she could eat her piece of cake. "Have you made any decisions about your future?" 

"Do you mean if I've decided to go back to the convent or not?" 

Abbey nodded. 

"It's really been a struggle trying to come to a decision." 

"I know it's not something you've taken lightly." 

"No, it isn't. Being a nun is all I really know. At least it used to be. But, thanks to you, I've had a whole new world opened up to me. It's been scary, but it's also been wonderful being part of a family again and renewing relationships with you and Jane and Millie and being Auntie Nora to your children. And, well, Maggie wants me to be part of her life and I'd like to be a part of my granddaughter's life, to watch her grow up...You're smiling awfully brightly." 

"I can't help it. I'm happy." Abbey gave her cousin a quick hug; it spoke volumes that Nora no longer stiffened at gestures of affection. "Now that I have you back in my life, I'd like to keep it that way." 

"Well, I'm not going to stay with you indefinitely. You and Jed have your own life, your own family." 

"Nora–" 

"Wait, hear me out. Maggie and Matt got married so fast so they could adopt Abigail, they weren't able to get Maggie out of the lease for her apartment when she moved in with Matt. She asked me if I'd like to take over the lease." 

"Well, you're going to need some money for the rent, at least while you get on your feet. Jed and I–" 

"I know what you're going to say and I love you for it. But I don't want you and Jed to give me money. I want to stand on my own two feet for the first time in my life. Will has a friend who owns a nursery and with my experience in the convent with farming and herbs, she's agreed to hire me on. I have a bit of a green thumb if I do say so myself." 

"That's wonderful, Nora. I'm so happy for you." Abbey couldn't help but note with interest the ease that the normally socially awkward Nora had with the quiet widower Will Byrne, wondering if he had any bearing at all on Nora's decision. 

"I'm pretty happy myself and most of that is thanks to you and Jed. You really helped me get my life together." 

"That's what family is for." Abbey squeezed her hand. 

**** 

As the evening sky began to darken over the coast, tiny twinkling white lights that had been strung in the trees along the property and flaming tiki torches lit the large dance floor outside the tent where Jed and Abbey were now dancing. Leo's heart swelled with warmth as he watched his best friends move together to the music as if they were one. A smile brightened his craggy features as his eyes fell to where little Aislinn and Nicholas were approaching their parents. The couple smiled down on them and each lifted one onto a hip. Rather than stop dancing, they simply enveloped the children into their embrace and the four of them swayed to the music as a family. 

> _Smiling just to see the smile upon your face_  
>  These are the moments I thank God that I'm alive   
> These are the moments I'll remember all my life   
> I found all I've waited for   
> And I could not ask for more   
> Looking in your eyes   
> Seeing all I need   
> Everything you are is everything to me   
> These are the moments   
> I know heaven must exist   
> These are the moments I know all I need is this   
> I have all I've waited for   
> And I could not ask for more

Incredibly moved by the happy smiles on their faces and the lyrics of the song, and knowing more than almost anyone in the world just how close Jed had come to losing the woman and child wrapped in his arm, caused an unaccustomed lump to form in his throat and tears to sting his eyes. He felt an arm snake around his waist and turned with surprise to see his ex-wife. He hadn't seen her in years. 

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" she smiled. 

Leo nodded still a little shocked by the sight of her. "You know, I thought they were crazy when Abbey got pregnant just as they were getting Zoey into college, but they've really made it work. Those kids have really brightened their lives." 

"They have a lot of love to spread around. They always have." 

"Yeah, they do and they really deserve this day. It's been a hellish year for both of them and for their family." 

"They're strong. Their marriage is strong. Their family is strong." 

Leo glanced down to see the sadness in Jenny's eyes and knew that she was thinking of their own marriage and how it had fallen apart over the years. 

"I'm sure Jed and Abbey are very happy that you and Jeffrey are here to share the day with them and I'm sorry they weren't able to be at your wedding. It was because of me, you know." 

Jenny shook her head negatively. "Don't worry about it, Leo. I understood." 

"I knew you would. You're a good person, Jen." 

They stood together eyes riveted back on the Bartlet family happy for their close friends but just a tad wistful about their own shattered marriage. 

> _I could not ask for more than this time together  
>  I could not ask for more than this time with you   
> Every prayer has been answered   
> Every dream I have's come true   
> And right here in this moment is right where I'm meant to be   
> Here with you here with me_   
>    ( _I Could Not Ask for More_ by Edwin McCain)

**** 

"Hiding out from spider woman?" 

Standing behind a large pine tree, Jed jumped at that voice that came up behind him and caused him to spill his drink on his shirt. 

Vivian laughed and took the drink from his hand so he could wipe at his shirt with a napkin. "Mmm," she sniffed the glass, "switched to lemon seltzer water, did you? Smart man, don't want to imbibe too much and have performance issues for the big night." 

"Do you always say whatever pops into your head?" 

"Pretty much. But, I didn't mean to scare you." 

"I wasn't scared," Jed assured her, "merely startled." 

"Of course, men are never scared." 

Jed grinned. "I don't know if I'd go that far. But, what makes you think I'm hiding?" 

"I saw spider woman's hands all over your behind when she cut in for that dance with you. Cece is anything but subtle." 

"You caught her number awfully fast. Abbey and I refer to her as the octopus but I like spider woman." 

"I've known plastic women like her all my life. Weak parasites that live off men and don't have a brain cell in their heads. Women who are so in love with themselves they could never love anyone else." 

Jed laughed. She sure did have Cece O'Neill sized up. "I've never understood what Evan, or any man for that matter, sees in a woman like that, other than the obvious D-cups, of course. I mean how can you have a relationship with a woman you can't talk to, share things with. A great body can only go so far, you know." 

Vivian grinned. "Spoken like a true strong man. It's weak men that go for women like Cece – men who need their egos stroked, men who want to be envied. But, I'll tell you, a lot more men envy you than they do Evan 'cause you got it all – a real woman with both beauty and brains. Abbey's a great broad." 

"Yeah, she is, isn't she?" 

"And speaking of great broads, here comes mine. I think I want to dance." 

Jed watched her saunter off to greet Jane. He hadn't been sure what to make of Vivian in the beginning, but she was really beginning to grow on him. He left his spot behind the pine tree and headed back towards the party. There were many people crowded on the outside dance floor dancing under the stars and twinkling tiny rice lights, but Jed's eyes only saw Abbey. She was dancing with Sam to a fast number, Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" Annie told him when he asked what the name of the song was. 

> _Oh baby when you talk like that_  
>  You make a woman go mad   
> So be wise and keep on   
> Reading the signs of my body

God could that woman move. He had no problem whatsoever reading the signs of her body. Her hips swayed with the sinuous grace of a dancer. Her head was tossed back throwing fiery copper curls down her back and over her shoulders. She was the most vital woman he'd ever known, so full of passion and life that it made him ache to think that amazingly enough, she belonged to him and for what they would later share, the part of her that was for his eyes only. 

On the dance floor, surrounded by people, Abbey felt it – the subtle current that ran like an electrical hum whenever Jed's eyes lay upon her. She turned to see him at the edge of the dance floor, his blue eyes hooded, intense, and riveted on her. Her body continued to move to the music but now her eyes were locked over Sam's shoulder with those of her husband's. 

> _And I'm on tonight_  
>  You know my hips don't lie   
> And I'm starting to feel it's right   
> All the attraction, the tension   
> Don't you see baby, this is perfection

When the music finally ended, Abbey thanked Sam for the dance before leaving him to approach Jed. Slightly out of breath, she accepted the glass of champagne he held out to her. 

"You looked good out there," he said. "Will you dance like that for me?" 

"Sure, come on." Abbey took his hand to lead him onto the floor. 

"Naked." 

Unsure she had heard him correctly, she turned, saw the heat in his eyes and knew that she had. A quick rush of desire ran through her body. 

"You want me to dance for you naked?" 

"Well, not right here at this moment." His wry gaze took in the crowd of people milling about. "But, yeah I would. It wouldn't be the first time, you know. And...I have a coupon." 

"Jed...Sssh..." Abbey turned her head quickly from side to side to make sure they were not being overheard. 

Jed stepped forward smiling lasciviously at the flush that now stained her cheeks and bent down to whisper in her ear. "Well, what do you say?" 

"I say I think it can be arranged. You do after all, have a coupon." She gazed coquettishly at him out of the corner of her eye then directed his attention back to the dance floor where Elizabeth, Ellie and Zoey were doing the bump and singing loudly along with the music. 

" _We are family. I've got all my sisters with me. We are family. Get up everybody and sing._ " 

"Come on, Abbey, let's join them." Jane came up beside Abbey and grabbed her by the elbow dragging her out to the dance floor. Jed watched the two laughing sisters join the other three girls bumping and laughing and singing. 

" _We are family. I've got all my sisters with me. We are family. Get up everybody and sing._ "   
   ( _We are Family_ by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers) 

**** 

With a loud bang, a brilliant burst of green and red lit the night sky. The fireworks were an inspired and magical ending to a day filled with romance. With Nicholas and Aislinn watching the display with Gus and Tess under Elizabeth's watchful eyes, Abbey and Jed snuck away to a private rocky outcropping. Jed, his tux jacket long since discarded and shirtsleeves rolled up over his forearms, sat first then helped Abbey down onto his lap. She lay her cheek against his chest, her fingers playing over the hair on his arm as she watched the colorful bursts rain down upon the sea. She felt his breath against her hair, his warm hand stroking her bare back. 

"Today has been one of the happiest days of my life, Jed." She gazed up at him earnestly, the vivid explosions of light dancing across her face. "I'll never forget it, not ever." 

Jed smiled down at her and traced a finger gently over her cheekbone and down over her soft lips. "I'm glad, baby. I'll never forget it either." His lips touched hers just as a sonic boom exploded shaking the ground beneath them. 

"Now that's what I call a kiss," Abbey chuckled against his lips. 

"That?" Jed scoffed. "That ain't nothin' compared to the way I'm gonna make the earth shake for you tonight." 

Abbey shivered with the anticipation of what was to come. Jed felt it and gave a low seductive laugh. 

"When can we leave anyway?" 

"After we say good bye to the twins and tuck them in." Jed nodded and pulled Abbey back into his arms to watch the rest of the display, both of them dreading what was to come with their two toddlers. 

**** 

"Abbey, they're going to be fine." 

Wiping at her eyes with a tissue, Abbey nodded. "I know. I just feel so guilty. I mean I want this trip with you, just the two of us, but a part of me feels terrible for leaving them. We've never left them for so long before." 

"I know," Jed agreed. It had been painful for both of them to deal with their over-tired, over-sensitized children. In spite of the fact that they had been discussing their departure with the twins and what would be happening when they were gone, there were still pitiful heartbreaking tears and pleas not to leave them. Finally, after being reminded that they would be staying here at the beach house with Elizabeth, Annie, Gus and Zoey and that there would be trips on Will Byrne's lobster boat and days spent playing on the beach and that it wouldn't be long before Izzy brought them to join the two of them in England where they would stay in a real life castle, they calmed down. Abbey and Jed stayed with them until they fell asleep. 

Catching the end of the conversation and seeing the strain on her mother's face, Elizabeth approached. "Mom, they'll be fine. I'll take good care of them." 

"I know you will, Liz, and I really appreciate you helping us out this way." 

"It's not a problem. In fact, the kids and I are looking forward to spending time here at the beach and Gus is thrilled to have Nicholas and Aislinn to play with for two whole weeks." 

"Doug isn't going to stay with you?" Abbey watched her daughter stiffen at the question. 

"He couldn't get away." 

The way she said it led Abbey to believe that it was more a situation of he "wouldn't" get away, but she wasn't going to push it. If Liz wanted to discuss the problems in her marriage, she knew where to come. 

"Well, we still appreciate it. I feel better knowing they're surrounded by family," Abbey wrapped an arm around her daughter's waist and kissed her cheek. 

"Hey, honey." Michael made his through the crowd of people. "Are you and Jed ready for your final dance?" 

Abbey turned to look at Jed who nodded eagerly. He was more than ready to be on his way. The dance floor cleared for the President and First Lady, and this time, dancing under the stars, they embraced publicly for a final time before heading off on their second honeymoon. 

> _Longer than there've been fishes in the ocean_  
>  Higher than than any bird ever flew   
> Longer than there've been stars up in the heavens   
> I've been in love with you   
> Stronger than any mountain cathedral   
> Truer than any tree ever grew   
> Deeper than any forest primeval   
> I am in love with you   
> I'll bring fire in the winters   
> You'll send showers in the springs   
> We'll fly through the falls and summers   
> With love on our wings 
> 
> Through the years as the fire starts to mellow   
> Burning lines in the book of our lives   
> Though the binding cracks and the pages start to yellow   
> I'll be in love with you   
> I'll be in love with you 
> 
> Longer than there've been fishes in the ocean   
> Higher than than any bird ever flew   
> Longer than there've been stars up in the heavens   
> I've been in love with you   
> I am in love with you   
>    ( _Longer Than_ by Dan Fogelberg)

Swallowing tightly, eyes shining with tears, Abbey tilted her chin to look up at her husband's handsome face. 

"I don't want this night to end, Jed." 

"It's not ending, babe." He bent and kissed her forehead. "In fact, it's just beginning." 


	8. Summer of Us, The

"Okay, milady, entrez-vous," Jed opened the door to the bedroom of his wife's parents' unpretentious cottage on the island of Nantucket to allow Abbey entry. Marine One had gotten them there quickly, but of course not as quickly as either of them would have liked. The handholding and footsies and nuzzling kisses on the trip over had only served to heighten their anticipation of the night ahead. But now the waiting was over. 

Abbey's fingers moved to her lips as she took in the bedroom. Candles flickering in hurricane glassware sat on every conceivable surface, vases overflowed with flowers and a bucket filled with ice held a bottle of champagne, two crystal flutes beside it. The window, which faced the ocean, was opened; the cool summer breeze bringing in the scent of the sea. A small fire burned in the grate to take the edge off the chill. Soft romantic music added to the warm intimacy. 

"You did all this?" She took the hands he offered to her. 

"Well, I can't take full credit. Your mother's friend Mrs. Macy set it up to my specifications. I just lit the candles and the fire and put on the music." 

"It's beautiful." She reached up a hand to stroke his cheek. "You got style, Mr. President." 

Jed smiled. "Care to dance?" 

"I'd love to." 

Still in their wedding finery, although Jed had long ago discarded his jacket and vest, they danced in front of the fireplace to the sultry sounds of Ella Fitzgerald. Abbey felt Jed's hands settle on the bare skin at the small of her back, pressing her hips in more tightly against him. 

"Do you know how sexy the back of this dress was to me all day long?" he asked. 

"How sexy?" She smiled against the warmth of the base of his throat where his shirt was unbuttoned. 

"Sexy enough that all I could think about was how precarious those tiny straps holding your dress on were and that it dipped so low that it wouldn't take much to slide my hands inside and squeeze that world class ass of yours." 

"So what's stopping you now?" Abbey pressed her pelvis more firmly into his groin, a small, satisfied smile curving her lips as she felt him stirring quite nicely to life. 

"Not a thing, darlin', not a thing." Jed's hands rested over the satin curve of her rear squeezing and kneading over the fabric. He attempted to slip his hand into the back but the gown was too tight. He pushed with a little more force and feeling his frustration, Abbey pulled back. 

"Don't you dare rip it," she warned. 

Jed's eyes heated at the thought. God, how he'd love to rip her out of that gown and bury himself within her. But, that was not how tonight was going to go. He'd promised her he'd take his time, promised he'd make the earth shatter for her and Jed Bartlet was not a man who backed out on his word. Instead, he sighed and eyed the tray of snack foods Mrs. Macy had left out for them. 

"Are you hungry?" he asked 

Abbey nodded, her eyes never leaving his so that she detected the slight disappointment that flickered there. A sultry smile crossed her lips and she reached out one arm to curve around his neck, while the other cupped him between the legs. "Hungry for you," she murmured. Her lips were mere inches from his and she kissed him – hot, hard, open mouthed – her tongue sliding onto his calling him out to play. His desire flared like a spark to a flame and he pushed her back, pressing her up against the wall with his body. His tongue tangled with hers, his hands moving restlessly up and down her body; his need growing with every second. He felt her fingers digging into his rear, felt his penis swell to painful proportions as he rubbed against her. It was agony to do so, but he placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back. 

"Wait," he breathed. 

"Wait?" Abbey lifted a brow at him. Her chest was heaving, lifting her cleavage up and down in an enticing way that was torture to Jed's gentlemanly instincts. 

"This isn't the way I want to do this tonight. I told you on the boat. Tonight, I'm making love to every inch of you." 

"It's okay, you can do that later." Abbey reached for him, but he took a step back, his head shaking negatively. 

"Nope. I'm going to love every inch of you, and before I'm finished, I'm going to rock your world." The masculine possessive tone to his voice coupled with the desire glittering in his seductive eyes caused Abbey to shiver with anticipation; the place between her legs warming and pulsing for what only he could give. "So, how do we get you out of this dress?" 

Now it was Abbey's turn at seduction. She turned away from him slipping the straps down her shoulders slowly. She slid the silky gown down, shimmying it over her hips. She heard his soft intake of breath as she slid it down her legs and he was awarded full view of her thong, bare rear and garters. When the dress finally pooled at her feet she bent to pick it up. Jed swallowed tightly his fingers flexing as he fought the urge to move forward and bury himself into her from behind. 

"You're killing me here," he groaned painfully. 

Abbey gave a husky sensuous laugh. "I know." She turned to him then and Jed felt his erection solidify into rock hard granite. Good Lord, was he a lucky man. Her wild mane of auburn curls tumbled in sexy disarray around her bare shoulders, over her breasts and down her back. She wore only a strapless white bustier that was so sheer he could see her darker areolas and the hardened tips of her nipples as her full breasts thrust forward against the fabric that was barely able to contain the swells it pushed it up. One tiny clip at the back of her waist was all that held it on. A white lacy garter belt spanned her hips over the tiny sheer triangle of her thong panties, the soft curls that covered her sex a dark mystery against the sheer fabric. The garters, clipped to sheer opaque ivory hose, bared a tantalizing amount of thigh, her strappy stiletto sandals making her slender, shapely legs appear even longer. 

"God, baby. You're so beautiful. I don't know how you do it. You just get more and more beautiful every day." He stepped toward her, his eyes harder now, and Abbey felt her pulse quicken. He didn't give her the chance to respond. He lifted her gently into his arms and laid her back on the bed so that her hips rested on the edge. Getting right down to business he released the clips of her garters and slowly rolled the hose down her incredible legs, pausing so often to press a kiss here or there. A smile lit his face as he slipped off her shoes and hose and noted her glossy cherry red painted toes. Everything about his wife screamed femininity; it was one of the things that drove him absolutely wild. When her legs were finally bared, he took his time running his fingers up and down her shapely calves bending to trace his lips over the soft skin of her inner thighs, another smile touching his lips as he pressed his tongue into the sensitive back of her knees eliciting goose bumps and a soft predictable moan of pleasure from his "sweet knees". 

His lips worked their way higher nibbling and kissing the tender flesh of her inner thighs, feeling the muscles tighten as he watched her rear squirm on the bed. He knew just where she wanted him most. Abbey whimpered with disappointment when she felt his mouth stop just before he got to the place where she ached to feel to him. As she opened her eyes to protest, she felt him blow a warm moist breath of air against the triangular scrap of panties that she wore and her back arched off the bed. She felt him nuzzle into her mound pushing the damp fabric against her sensitive core. 

"Jed," she moaned. "Please..." 

"Sssh...I know what you need, baby." 

Jed pushed the fabric aside sliding a finger along her wet cleft. Her clitoris was already swollen and he'd yet to touch her there with his tongue or his fingers. He slipped his finger under the elastic and pulled her panties down her thighs, discarding them with a toss. Then, he turned his attention back to her. Splayed at the edge of the bed wearing just the bustier, legs spread for him, long strawberry curls tousled, she was every man's wanton fantasy. He knelt back beside the bed, this time draping her legs over his shoulders. 

Abbey propped herself up on her elbows. There was something incredibly erotic about having Jed do this to her while still fully clothed, something even more erotic about seeing herself spread wide for him as he knelt between her thighs, loving her with his mouth. She saw the fire ignite in his eyes as he parted her folds, then gazed up at her. 

"You're beautiful here, too," he told her. "All pink and ivory. I need a taste." He bent his head and at the first long swipe of his tongue, Abbey's head fell back with a low moan of pure pleasure. "You like that." 

It wasn't a question but Abbey answered it anyway. "God, YES." 

Jed nodded and slid his tongue back against her, but this time he didn't stop. He moved from long slow strokes of her cleft to quick darting flicks across her clitoris to tantalizing forays into the slick sweet opening that ached to be filled by him. Abbey fell back off her elbows, her hands fisting in the quilt as she arched her back and thrust her hips up at him. God, he loved this, loved the taste of her, the feel of her, loved that he could drive her crazy like this. But, her sexy whimpers, sharp intakes of breath and low moans of his name were nearly his undoing. His erection was powerful and throbbing in a way that was agonizing. The pain of straining against his pants finally forced him to reach down and unzip them allowing his penis the room to swell. The brush of his own hand against his steely shaft caused a sharp groan of pleasure pain. He just hoped to God he could make Abbey come before he did, because his lower body had been screaming to be inside her for hours now. 

Feeling a little better with his release from the prison of his pants, Jed slipped his hands beneath Abbey's body, cupping her buttocks and lifting her hips to cradle her against his mouth for more intensive treatment. He could see the changes in Abbey's body, her folds were swollen and a darker pink and she was so incredibly wet for him. Knowing how much she wanted this, his strokes became harder now, strong, deep, and he paused every now and then to suckle at her clitoris, which caused Abbey to nearly weep with pleasure. Her hips didn't stop anymore; she was squirming and thrusting up at his mouth, out her mind with the pleasure of what he was doing to her. And, when he slipped one hand out from underneath her so he could slide his finger into her, she gasped and cried out his name. 

"More?" he asked, his voice vibrating against the tender flesh between her legs. 

"Yes, oh God, YES. PLEASE, JED!" 

Jed inserted another finger and began to move the two in and out of her body along with the rhythm of his tongue against the small nub that drove her wild. Abbey grasped at his hair completely out of control as she spiraled higher and higher unable to breathe, legs tightening. 

"I'm gonna...Oh, JED...it's coming..." 

Jed knew, he could feel it. He pushed his fingers more deeply inside her and began to flutter them back and forth against her walls just as he gently rubbed his teeth over her clitoris. 

"JED!!!" Abbey shrieked and flew apart in his arms, her orgasm intense, overpowering. Jed felt the powerful walls of her vagina contract against his fingers as he continued to move them within her, felt the heels of her feet digging into his back, heard her cries as her body tightened and rocked with the strong contractions. He had to fight his own body to keep from coming as he watched and felt Abbey's pleasure. He continued to stroke her as she came, his rough jaw rubbing against the soft damp auburn curls that covered her mound. Only when the rhythmic contractions slowed did he climb up her body. 

Abbey's eyes were closed and Jed saw the tears of intense pleasure that trickled from behind her closed eyelids. He wiped the trail away with his thumb and Abbey opened beautiful, satiated eyes the color of the purest jade. 

"That was incredible, Jed." She reached out a languid arm to run her fingers through his hair. "You did rock my world." 

"That was just the beginning," Jed bent and kissed her. Abbey tasted herself on his mouth, his tongue and felt the heavy bulge in his soft boxer briefs pressed up against his her hip. She reached a hand out tracing the hardness surprised by the twitch between her thighs at the thought of taking him inside her when her body had just been satisfied. Jed groaned and grabbed her wrist. 

"Don't do that, sweetheart or it will be all over before I get inside you." 

"Then get up and get naked, then come keep me warm." 

"Yes, Ma'am." Jed grinned and got up to stand beside the bed. Propped back up on her elbows, Abbey watched him undress. He unbuttoned his shirt and shoved it back off his shoulders revealing his broad shoulders and a powerful chest, the pectoral muscles covered with a patch of silver and dark gold hair that sprinkled lightly over his still trim torso then narrowed down in a thin line from his naval only to flare again at his groin creating a soft bed for the extremely erect penis that jutted out from his body. He stood for a moment at the edge of the bed, a lock of sandy hair falling over his forehead and although he was a man now, with a man's body, there were still many traces of the college boy she had wed. She stretched an arm out to him beckoning. 

"Come back to me." 

"With pleasure." Jed stretched out next to her on the bed and Abbey rubbed her cheek against the hair on his chest, relishing the masculine feel of him. Her fingers traced over his back up and down his spine and over the curve of his rear. Jed pushed closer to her, his penis pressed hard against her pelvis. He reached around behind her and unhooked the clasp on her bustier freeing her breasts for his – and her – enjoyment. He placed a large warm hand over the soft mound, loving the way its lush fullness overflowed his hand, her hard nipple pressing against his palm. 

Abbey watched as he bent and slipped that hard nipple into his mouth. She arched into him her fingers, threading through his hair and holding him to her breast while he licked, tugged, suckled and nipped at her. Restlessly wanting more and knowing that he was more than prepared to give it to her, she threw a thigh over his hip and slipped her hand between their bodies to position his shaft to slide against the wetness between her thighs, teasing her still incredibly sensitive core to the point where she was already panting again – the combination of Jed's mouth pulling at her nipple and his rock hard penis sliding against her – sensory overload. 

"Mmm...baby, it's too much." Jed removed her thigh from his hip, the feel of sliding against the satiny wetness between her legs almost sending him over the edge. He got up to his knees and closed his eyes trying to fight the urge to come by reciting the amendments to the Constitution. 

Looking down at his massive erection, Abbey saw a pearl bead at the tip and reached out a thumb to smooth the liquid into the pulsing shaft. 

"Abbey," he groaned, "you're not helping me here." 

Abbey smiled tenderly at him. "Don't fight it anymore. I want you inside me." Abbey scooted herself up against the pillows and lay back spreading her thighs for him. Jed groaned again. As if he could resist THAT. She was his siren and she called out to him in ways she probably would never know. He moved into the cradle of her thighs. He was so hard, he had to pull himself back from his belly to be able to enter her. Abbey shivered as he began to probe for entry, sighing as he found the way home and began to penetrate her. He paused then and Abbey opened her eyes. Only when their gazes met did Jed tighten his rear and push himself forward filling her, stretching her to her limits. Her knees lifted instinctively to allow him deeper penetration. Even all the way to his hilt, pressed hard against her womb, he rocked against her, wondering if he could ever get close enough to her. When they were finally completely one, he pressed his forehead to hers tenderly. 

"God, I love you." His voice, choked by emotion, brought the sting of tears to Abbey's eyes. 

"I love you too. And I love how you make me feel." She cupped his cheeks in her palms and pulled his face down to her for a long tongue-stroking kiss. But soon kissing was not enough; the passion had been put off long enough. Abbey whimpered as Jed withdrew his length from her, leaving her feeling empty and cold and bereft, then cried out with pleasure he thrust deeply within her again. Her legs moved up to lock around his torso and he began a deep rhythmic thrusting that quickly grew harder and faster, her own hips rising to meet him and force him more deeply within her. He was braced with his hands on either side of her shoulders while his hips pumped into her. Abbey watched the sweat bead on his forehead, the flush of exertion rise in his cheek and his eyes close with the pleasure he took from her body, harsh grunts emanating from him with every thrust. Needing him closer, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her. His cheek rested on the pillow next to her while hers remained in the curve where his neck met his shoulder urging him on with heated words whispered into his ear. His chest crushed her breasts, her hard nipples branding into him. She drew her knees up closer to her chest and grasped his rear with her fingers feeling his muscles tightening with each forward thrust. She dug her fingers into him pulling him even more forcefully into her. In this position, he could thrust vigorously and deeply; his groin pressed up hard against her clitoris, pounding against it with each penetration until she was gasping, her climax building quickly. Jed felt her fingernails digging into his rear, felt her grinding her groin into his, felt her back arching against him as her teeth closed in on the skin of his shoulder and he heard the almost painful cries that indicated she was about to come fill the room. It was a damn good thing, 'cause he couldn't hold out much longer and just as she bowed in his arms throwing her head back in orgasm with a loud cry of his name, he felt his balls tighten and his breath catch in his throat. He grasped her hips harshly and drove himself into her, shouting her name to the rafters as he exploded within her over and over, his hips jerking reflexively as he came in powerful bursts of mind numbing pleasure. He collapsed on top of her completely exhausted. They lay together both breathing heavily, tiny pulses of pleasure continuing to course through their bodies. Aware that he was probably crushing her, Jed rolled to his side. Abbey rolled with him keeping her thigh around his hip unwilling to allow him to leave her body just quite yet. 

Still trying to catch his breath, Jed felt Abbey's fingers playing with the hair at the back of his neck and running lightly over his back, his body still continuing to emit softer pulses of semen that had him moaning in quiet ecstasy and rocking gently against her. He wasn't the only one, however, whose body still hummed with the aftershocks of such amazing pleasure. When his lips closed over Abbey's earlobe and suckled, she felt a corresponding contraction deep within her womb that milked Jed even further and caused her climax to linger on. 

Finally, their limbs starting to cramp and the breeze becoming a bit chilly over their sweaty bodies, Abbey removed her thigh and Jed withdrew from her. That was not, however, the end of their intimacy. After quickly cleansing themselves, they slipped, still naked, under the covers. Jed lay on his back with one arm wrapped around Abbey, holding her curled to his side, her cheek pressed to his chest where she listened to the steady beat of his heart, her fingers playing over his chest and belly. 

"You know, Bartlet, you sure do know how to keep a promise. When you say you're going to make a girl's world rock, baby, it ROCKS." 

Jed chuckled, his chest swelling with masculine pride. "So, are we talking earthquake rocking here." 

"Mmmm..." Abbey dipped her fingertip into his belly button. "I'd say 9.0 on the Richter scale." 

"9.0?" Jed looked down on her with affront. "Not a 10.0?" 

"Do you always have to be perfect?" 

"You know I strive for perfection." 

"Mhhmmm..." she smiled and kissed his right nipple. "So, if you strive for perfection and you weren't perfect..." 

"Ahh...then I'll keep working at it." 

"They didn't give you a Nobel Prize for nothing." 

Jed laughed and pinched her rump. 

"Stop that." She slapped at his hand, then getting more serious for the moment, she rested her cheek back against his chest. "Did you mean what you said earlier?" 

"I said a lot of stuff earlier. To what are you referring?" 

"That you think I'm more beautiful now. I'm not fishing; Well...maybe just a little, but I'd really like to know if it's true. And if it is, why you feel that way. I mean I know I've done reasonably well keeping my body in shape but I have had five children and..." 

Jed placed a finger over her lips. "Sssh...I meant every word of what I said. You were stunning when I first met you, but you were still a girl the first time I made love to you. You're a woman now. You had nice curves then but nothing like what you have now." He traced a finger from her tiny waist over the flare of her hip. "You had gorgeous full breasts," he cupped a hand over a soft mound, "but they weren't nearly as lush as they are now. But, it's more than just the look of your body that makes you more beautiful to me; it's the fact that your body means so much more to me now." He rested a hand over her flat stomach. "I've watched your belly swell carrying my babies. I've watched our infants nurse at your breasts, I've watched your hips sway a fussing toddler out of a tantrum and I've made love to you in damn near every way possible taking both comfort and pleasure from your body and hopefully giving the same. We have a history now. Everything about you is just so much more now. You aren't that girl anymore. You're a woman with a woman's love and strength and compassion and warmth." 

Abbey was silent for a moment, digesting her husband's words before looking up at him with glowing eyes. "Wow. Good answer." 

"So, what about me. Have I changed all that much from the boy you married?" 

"In some ways yes, and in many ways, no." Abbey thought about the primal attraction she'd had for Jed upon their first meeting. It was like nothing she had ever experienced before or with anyone but him. He hadn't been cocky or arrogant. but there had been a maturity to him, a self assurance that one didn't often find in a college boy, and he had a charisma to him even then – something indefinable that had drawn her to him and continued to do so. 

"Physically, well, you're like a bottle of fine wine, Jed; you're only getting better with age. I love the changes that took you from boy to man, the way your shoulders broadened and your chest filled out. And, well, you still have the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen in my life and the sweetest smile. You're still the same gentle, kind hearted, boyishly enthusiastic guy that I met at a party, but there is a strength to you now, a steely determination because you aren't searching for who are anymore. You know who you are and that is extremely sexy. I love that protective side of you that has grown from becoming a husband and father and all I can say is that watching you as President of the United States, you amaze me every day." 

"You do pretty good in the answer department yourself, toots." Jed yawned loudly. It had been a very long day, it was very late, and he'd expended a considerable amount of energy. He was exhausted. "What do you say we get some sleep so we can wake up tomorrow and do a little more of this?" 

"Sounds like a plan to me," Abbey yawned too and rolled over taking Jed's hand with her so he could spoon her from behind. Feeling his warmth pressed against her bare back, his now flaccid penis pressed against her rear and his arm heavy over her body, his hand splayed over her belly holding her close to him, Abbey smiled tiredly to herself and thanked God for all of her blessings. She had the life she'd always dreamed of having – a man who loved her with his entire heart and soul and who she loved with the same intensity, beautiful healthy children and wonderful friends. She couldn't ask for anything more and filled with a deep sense of gratitude and well being, she drifted to sleep wrapped tightly in her husband's arms. 


	9. Summer of Us, The

A slight shiver running along her bare skin woke Abbey. For a moment she was slightly disoriented, not quite sure where she was. She heard the soft rumble of thunder in the distance and since neither she nor Jed had shut the windows the night before, the stormy breeze brought a distinct chill into the room. She had kicked off her covers and was on her belly sprawled over Jed's warm body. His hand was cupped on her rear; her knee nestled at his groin. She moved from him, stretching her limbs and shivering even more at the loss of his body heat. Wrapping her arms around her nude body, she rose and padded across the room quickly to shut the window then made her way back to the bed. Although the clock stated that it was a little after 6:00 a.m., it was still a dull gray in the room thanks to the heavy dark storm clouds. 

Once back in bed, she propped herself on one elbow and watched Jed sleep, something she loved to do but rarely had the time for anymore between the kids, the clinic and her First Lady duties. His face was so relaxed, so heartbreakingly young with the wear and tear of his stressful job absent. His thick sandy hair was mussed and falling over his forehead, the sweep of his tawny lashes against his skin giving him an innocent boyish appeal. But, there was nothing boyish about the straining morning erection that tented the sheet at his waist, demanding, on this morning anyway, her attention. 

Abbey trailed her fingers down Jed's chest following the thin line of hair that ran like an arrow down from his naval then teased the curls at his groin smiling as his penis began to twitch at the feel of her caress. Enjoying her leisurely perusal, she ran her finger lightly up the entire length of him following one of the bulging veins that pulsed with the blood that thickened him. She curled her hand around that thickness enjoying the satiny hardness and the feel of the pulsing and throbbing against her. She felt Jed squirm, a sigh emitting from his lips and she gazed back up at him, but he was still sleeping. Smiling with the thought of awakening him in such an erotic manner, she bent her head and slipped the head of his penis between her lips. He jerked but his eyes remained closed. Getting down to business, Abbey ran her tongue up and down his length exploring his thickness and enjoying the feel of his soft satiny skin against her tongue. Further down his shaft, she gently tickled his scrotum with her lips and tongue then moved all the way back up to take him into her mouth, suckling at the very tip of him. While her mouth moved over his head, she continued to milk the base of him with her hand pumping and squeezing him and teasing his balls, tasting the salty liquid that her ministrations pumped from him. 

Jed watched her through half closed eyes. It was getting more and more difficult to pretend to be asleep. Looking on as she enjoyed herself, sensually licking at the creamy drops of semen that his arousal pulsed forth and suckling his swollen shaft was about as stimulating as it got for him. The sight of her going down on him, the erotic intimacy of the act, had always driven him wild. It took all his effort not to cry out when she began swirling her tongue around his glans then flicking it very quickly over the slit at the very tip. He wasn't going to last much longer. Intrigued, he watched a self satisfied smile curve enticingly on Abbey's lips as she released him and surveyed her work. She had moved him to a deeply aroused red almost purple color, his marble hardness glistening magnificently, the veins bulging against the satiny smoothness of his shaft. And, just when he was about to protest and beg her to take him back between her lips – she did so, engulfing him completely into the wet heat of her mouth and throat, causing him to lose any control he might have had. A deep groan rasped from his throat and his fingers reached down to thread through her hair. Still holding him in her mouth, Abbey's eyes flew up to his noting that his were open now, hooded with need and probably had been for a while. 

"G'morning," the words were muffled as her mouth was still full of him. Jed's only response was to groan as her head began to slide up and down more quickly knowing by the way that he jerked his hips up at her that he was close. 

"Christ..." he moaned, his head rolling back against the pillows. "...That feels so good, babe...so damn GOOD." 

One of her hands rested on his lower belly just above his groin and she rubbed his stomach gently but firmly, knowing that that was where his orgasm was building. With her other hand, she pressed her first two fingers rhythmically into the skin just below his testicles and started to suckle at him hard in the same pulsing rhythm she was using against his prostate. That was all it took. It was all over, every muscle in Jed's body tightened and strained with imminent orgasm. He felt the hot rush fill his groin. 

"Abbey...Abbey...Oh... Baby...I'm coming!" 

Abbey hadn't needed the warning, she had felt his stomach hardening and contracting under her hand, felt him pushing his hips up at her, his fingers tightening in her hair as he swelled to even larger proportions. She felt his testicles drawing in and suddenly with a harsh animalistic groan, he exploded into her mouth with quick sharp spurts – his buttocks, clenching and relaxing, his hips jerking with the spasms. Abbey continued to gently caress him with her mouth and her fingertips as he came, her hand trailing over his belly and thighs, gently bringing him down from the high. 

"Am I dreaming?" he asked when he could finally catch his breath. 

Abbey rubbed the back of her hand over her lips and smiled up at him. 

"Does it feel like you were dreaming?" She leaned over for the box of tissues and proceeded to wipe the stickiness from his softening penis and groin as well as her hand. 

"I don't know. I have some pretty erotic dreams about you sometimes. Why do you think I wake up with such a hard-on in the mornings?" 

"Because erections are experienced in the REM part of sleep and REM sleep is more frequent just before awakening." She reached for the glass of water that lay on her nightstand took a couple of sips then cuddled back up to his side with a yawn. Her mouth was a little sore from the stretching needed to accommodate his size, as it always was when she gave him oral sex. 

"Well, isn't REM sleep when we do our dreaming?" 

"Yes." 

"Well there you go, Doc. I told you, there is nothing scientific about it. It's the erotic dreams that do it. But, I'll tell you what, a blow job is a hell of a lot nicer way to wake up than an alarm clock or a call from the White House switchboard." 

"Or two demanding three year olds jumping on the bed." Abbey chuckled sleepily. "But, it's still early and it sounds like it's raining, so you don't have to get up just yet." 

"Good, because I'm not sure I can move. You wiped me out." 

"Guess the blow job as an alarm clock idea is out then. Can't have the President dragging in to morning staff meetings." 

"Don't rule it out completely. I'll come up with something." His voice was husky, as his eyes grew heavy with sleep. 

"I'm sure you will." Abbey snuggled back into his side listening to the soothing soft patter of the rain and the low rumble of thunder that lulled her quite quickly back to sleep. 

**** 

A few hours later when Abbey awoke again, she was alone in bed snuggled under the covers and curled up to Jed's pillow. The smell of frying bacon and coffee caused her stomach to rumble. She poked her head out from under the covers and saw that it was almost nine o'clock and that the storms of dawn had made their way through and it was a bright sunny morning. She slipped into a short satin bathrobe just as Jed came through the door carrying a tray. 

"Get your ass back in bed," he told her. 

"Is that any way to talk to a lady?" 

"Sweetart, there was nothing ladylike about the way you woke me up this morning." He gave her a lascivious grin and a suggestive pat to the rear. 

Abbey laughed as she sat back in bed; her back propped against the pillows. "I could be a lady in bed if you like." 

"Absolutely NOT. As I've told you many a time, the bed is NO place to be a lady." 

Abbey eyed the plates that held delicious looking omelets filled with ham, green peppers, mushrooms and scallions along with sides of bacon, toast and bless his heart a steaming mug of coffee. "You are joining me, aren't you?" 

"You bet. Tiny little thing like you can't eat all this food." He placed the tray between them sitting Indian style on the other side. "You should see all the food that Mrs. Macy put in the fridge. Guess she didn't want us to do any cooking while we were here." 

"What kind of food?" Abbey sipped her coffee. 

"A big crock of shrimp bisque, all kinds of salads, deviled eggs, steaks, and much to my delight, some crispy fried chicken." 

"Mrs. Macy, always did have a soft spot for you." 

"I can't help it if I have a way with women." 

"She's 75 years old, Jed." 

"She thinks of me as a young stud." 

Abbey rolled her eyes. "More like a little boy." 

"I'll show you a little boy," Jed leaned forward his hand snaking up under her bathrobe. She playfully slapped him away. 

"I'm trying to eat here." She took a bite of her omelet then waved her fork at him. "So, what are our plans today?" 

"I take it staying in bed all day is out." 

"You're insatiable." 

"Tell me something I don't know. I can't help it. This is the first time in years that I've had you all to myself, no worries about little ones sneaking in and catching us wrestling naked." 

"Or showering together." Abbey licked at the jelly that dripped from her finger. 

"Allow me." Jed grabbed her hand and ran his tongue over the trail of sweet jelly. "You taste just as good today as you did last night." 

Abbey swallowed remembering the ecstasy his tasting of her had brought her last night. "You're really working hard on that whole day in bed thing, aren't you?" 

"I had to give it a shot," he chuckled. "Actually, I told Ron that we'd spend the morning out on the boat then relax on the beach in the afternoon. I made reservations at the Cauldron for supper tonight." 

Jed saw the reservation flicker on Abbey's face. He knew she loved to dine in the romantic atmosphere of Company of the Cauldron, but he also knew that this was supposed to be private time for them and if they dined at a restaurant, she would surely have to share him with the public. 

"It'll be just you and me," he assured her. "I reserved the back room for privacy. We'll have to see people on the way in, but our dinner will be private." 

Relief softened Abbey's features. It was hard enough to share her husband with his mistress, the Presidency, but when you added his adoring public to the mix it was enough to frustrate any wife. "You sure know the way to a woman's heart." 

"Not any woman. Just the one who matters." He reached out to take her hand, lifting it to his lips. "Now, are you ready to take a shower?" 

"With you?" 

"Of course with me. I'm the President, I have to do my bit in helping the environment and part of that is conserving water." 

Abbey shook her head with amusement. "You'll say just about anything to get laid, won't you?" 

"Hey, who said anything about getting laid. I just said I was going to share your water. Tsk, tsk, Abigail, is sex all you ever think about?" 

Abbey's eyes widened and Jed couldn't help the laughter that rumbled in his chest. "Close your mouth, sweetheart, or your going to catch flies." 

**** 

Contrary to his statement of only wanting to share her water, once Jed had his wife naked in the shower, all bets were off. His body had begun to react not long after she began soaping his chest, running the loofah in tantalizing circles over his pectoral muscles and his abdomen and before long, his fingers were itching to do the same for her. 

"My turn." He grabbed her wrist to stop her then reached for a bottle of jasmine and vanilla shower gel. Instead of squirting it into the loofah as she had done he gently squeezed the bottle over each of her nipples allowing the thick liquid to settle there then begin to drip off the hardened tips. His hands then began to massage the soap into her breasts paying special attention with his thumbs to the slippery rigid nipples. 

Abbey moaned softly allowing herself to enjoy the caresses, but as his hand began to circle over the curls at the apex of her thighs and before he got too carried away she reached for his _Glacier Bay_ shower gel. 

"My turn again." She squirted the soap onto a washcloth, which she proceeded to rub over his lower belly then closed over his semi erect penis. By the time she had gently lathered and rinsed his shaft, he was hard and swollen and ready for more action. 

"My turn. Turn around." His voice was husky with arousal. "I'll do your back." 

Abbey turned from him, felt him run the loofah enticingly over her back and her buttocks. She knew exactly what was coming next, but knowing it didn't make it any less exciting. 

"Bend over, sweetheart." 

Abbey smiled to herself and bent forward bracing her hands against the back of the shower. There were times when she just loved the fact that her husband could be so predictable. 

Jed stared for a moment at the enticing view before him, his wife presenting herself to him in a way that made her totally vulnerable. He bent and kissed the small Celtic knot tattoo with his initials at the base of her spine then grabbed hold of his rigid penis, bent his knees, and guided himself to her slick welcoming entrance. With one forward push, he slid his entire length within her. Abbey groaned at the feel of the quick deep penetration. He stayed buried there for a moment, his groin pressed into her buttocks while he reached around her body to slide his wet soapy hands over her breasts caressing and stroking. While he played with her breasts, he began grinding and circling his hips against her in a way that hit all the erotic spots inside her body. 

"Oh...yeah, Jed...Yeah..."Abbey's eyes closed and her head fell forward surrendering herself to him completely. Jed leaned over her back, his mouth mere inches from her ear. 

"You ready, babe?" he asked. 

Abbey nodded, ready for the full force of his lovemaking. She lifted a foot up onto the edge of the tub which she knew would allow him easier, deeper, and faster penetration and braced herself more firmly against the wall just as he withdrew and began thrusting wildly into her, hard, fast and deep. He went so far inside her that she gasped and cried out with each forceful thrust, his shaft hitting her so deep that he couldn't miss the spot that caused her fingers to claw into the tiles, her hips to push back against him taking him even harder within and the whimpering cries of ecstasy that worked their way out from deep in her throat. The water pelted their bodies causing them to slap wetly together and when Jed reached around to stroke her slick swollen clitoris even as he continued to rock deeply within her, she shattered into a million pieces, the force of her orgasm sending Jed right over the edge with her. When finally the quivering remnants of the contractions stopped, Abbey stood on shaky legs with Jed still inside her, the curls of his chest hair tickling her back. Standing, with his thickness still within gave her a sense of even more fullness and when one of his hands cupped her mound, the other kneading her breast, squeezing her nipple she came again in quick bursts of orgasmic pleasure. The position had squeezed Jed even more tightly within her and when she came it was like a vice around him causing him to moan with the exquisite agony. Their bodies continued to tremble with aftershocks and Jed pulled the hand that was entwined with Abbey's fingers back down to her sex, pushing between her thighs where she could feel the spot where his penis was entered into her body. She ran a finger over the few centimeters of his shaft that was not able to penetrate her at this angle teasing him and squeezing him. Within seconds she felt him swell again like a balloon, filling her completely with a sensation that was so overwhelming, she knew she was headed to yet another climax. Her breath caught in her throat as she pressed Jed's fingers harder against her, rubbing him over her nearly painfully sensitive clitoris and when his hips began to jerk involuntarily with the orgasm that had never completely ended for him, she cried out his name and went once more over the edge. 

Shaking and weak and overwhelmed by all the physical release she was experiencing, Abbey needed the intimacy that face to face intercourse gave her and turned her face toward Jed. Knowing what she wanted, what she needed, he cupped her cheek and bent to kiss her, his lips gentle and soothing rather than enflaming and while he kissed her she murmured her love for him into his lips. Yes, this was one shower that she was glad had NOT been interrupted. 

**** 

"It was an absolutely lovely service." Emily Bartlet grabbed a mug of coffee and sat at the kitchen table with Michael, Beth, and her two youngest grandchildren. Nicholas and Aislinn sat in booster seats picking at their breakfast with long faces. The two had been extremely upset to awaken and find their parents gone even though they had been told what to expect. 

"Yes, it was," Beth agreed. "It's nice to see just how happy they still are together. I remember when Abbey first brought Jed home. He was such a sweet young man. I don't think I'd ever seen a boy with such impeccable manners. He opened doors for Abbey and held out her chair for her. He even stood whenever she and I entered the room. It was nice to see that old fashioned courtesy even though many women at that time were turning their backs on such behavior." 

"I always felt good manners were extremely important," Emily said. Still, she wondered what sacrifices she had made back then in order to raise the perfect children. Everyone knew John Bartlet had married beneath him but there was no way that she was going to have people look at her children and think that Emily Bartlet wasn't raising them properly. God, she'd been such a fool; so worried about what everyone else thought of her that she had sacrificed hugs and kisses and demonstrations of love in her quest for perfection. 

"Well, they were a joy to watch, I'll tell you that. I knew right from the start that Abbey's relationship with Jed was different – that it was special and important. They were perfect for each other; they seemed to fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. I used to watch them walking along the beach together or reading together on the porch stopping to discuss passages or arguing over crossword puzzles or even simply talking. All that talking. It seemed like they always had so much to say to each other." 

"I used to envy that," Emily sipped her coffee. "At home Jed was rather reserved and quiet, always off studying or reading. He never really talked much, at least to John and me, but when he brought Abbey home, I saw a whole different side to him." Suddenly, Emily was plunged into the past, back in time to the moment she had met her son's beautiful girlfriend and had realized with a pang that, as sure as the nose on her face, that girl was the "one". The one that would take him away from her to start a whole new life and family. Of course that was what mothers wanted for their sons, but any mother would be lying to say that in that first moment of real understanding, there wasn't any pain. 

She realized that Michael and Beth were looking at her, waiting for her to continue and with a self-conscious smile, she did. "With Abbey he was so animated and full of life. He was interested in everything that she had to say. They used to have these passionate conversations, you know the ones like they still have today, about so many different things: world events, poverty, the environment, religion, philosophy, authors, artists, scientists and books. It boggles the mind." 

Beth gave a soft laugh. "Those two could talk about anything under the sun. Sometimes they agreed, sometimes they argued but the one thing that always struck me was that there was always respect for each other's opinions." 

Emily nodded. "Half the time I had no idea who or what they were even talking about, and my husband used to call it liberal claptrap, but the only time I ever saw Jed open up to anyone other than Abbey was his grandfather Josiah and even then, certainly not to the extent that he did with Abbey." 

"Their relationship was definitely more intellectual and much deeper and richer than anything I think either had experienced before. It really was the first real adult relationship for both of them." 

"Looking back it's hard to remember how worried that I was about that," Michael smiled. "It's hard to imagine doubting what they felt for each other." 

"You didn't think they loved each other?" Emily asked. This was the first time she'd heard that Abbey's parents had had real reservations about the relationship the way that she and John had. 

"Oh, no. I knew they loved each other. But, I also knew that they both had some pretty big plans for their futures. I didn't want to see them throw that all away over the flush of first love." 

"You didn't think they'd last?" 

"In the beginning? No. They were so young. I figured they both had years to date and find what they really wanted in a mate. But, I think by Christmas of that year, I finally realized that what they had was not infatuation, that what they felt for each other was very real and very deep. I respected Jed, Emily, and while a part of me still felt they were too young to get married when he came to me and asked for her hand, I knew I had to give it to him. There was something about those two; they were connected in so many ways that I knew being parted for three years while Jed went to London and Abbey went to medical school was completely out of the question. They would have been so miserable I doubt either of them would have done well in school." 

"And then, of course, Elizabeth made that a moot point," Beth smiled over her coffee remembering the day that she had put all the symptoms together and realized that her twenty-one year old unmarried daughter was pregnant. "But, as we know, God has a plan and it all worked out for the best after all. I know Abbey considers that time in London one of the best of her life." 

"I don't know why," Emily sniffed. "My goodness, that horrid little apartment they had was one step above a hovel. They had to share a bathroom with other tenants." 

"Oh, Emily," Beth chuckled, "they were living on love. Love for each other, love for the future that they had just embarked upon and love for that newborn baby and the family they had just begun to create." 

**** 

Standing outside the kitchen door, Elizabeth stood listening the glowing words spoken about her parents' union and just how strong their bond had been right from the start. It was nice to know that they had been filled with such joy at her birth, especially considering that she'd known from early adolescence that she had been conceived before her parents were wed. It hadn't been hard to figure out once her mother had "the talk" with her and she found out that it took nine months for a woman to carry a child to term. After counting out the months between her parents' wedding and her birth, she had come to the startling conclusion that she had been born just a little over six months after her parents were married. When confronted with her mathematics, her parents had not tried to lie their way out of it. Instead they had been very matter of fact about it all, sitting her down and explaining that while they hadn't been married when her mother had gotten pregnant, they had loved each other very much and they were engaged to be married and that they didn't consider her an accident but a blessing. They'd said all the right things but Elizabeth had always wondered deep inside if they had wished that they had been able to put parenthood off until they had both finished their post-grad schooling. Hearing her grandparents had also made her think of her own marriage and what a different path it had taken from that of her parents. Before she allowed herself to go down that road again, the phone in her pocket began to vibrate and after answering it, she stepped into the kitchen. 

"Hey kiddos, there's someone who wants to talk to you." 

"Mommy?" Aislinn's eyes brightened and Nicholas began to push himself away from the table with excitement. 

Elizabeth nodded with a smile. It was the first animation she'd seen in the two all morning. "Yup." 

"MOMMY! MOMMY! MOMMY!" The two kids began windmilling their chubby legs and pushing at the table in an effort to get down from their booster seats. It was all their grandparents could do to calm them down to set them free. 

"I talk to Mommy!" 

"No, I talk to Mommy!" 

The two children scrambled toward Elizabeth in a race to be the first to get to the phone. 

"Settle down," Elizabeth admonished them. "You'll both get to talk to Mom." She handed the phone off to her younger siblings smiling as she listened to them babble on excitedly, sure that her mother could not understand a word they were saying. 

**** 

Feeling a little better after talking to Elizabeth and the twins, knowing for sure that her babies were doing okay, Abbey puttered around the cottage preparing for a morning spent on the boat and a picnic. She walked around the first floor thinking about how much she loved this house. It had been in her family for generations – her parents having purchased it from a childless great aunt before she was born – and summers spent here were a big part of her childhood. In all those years, like at Windy Point, few things had changed. As she moved into the living room, Abbey's thoughts touched on her pleasure at the fact that they hadn't changed. She loved the simple wicker furniture and the worn colorful braided carpets that covered the hard wood. The walls were painted white with paintings of Nantucket scenes done by local artists hung on them. Those pictures along with the splashes of blue in the simple curtains, carpets and furniture cushions brought the sea into the room. Ship models that she and her siblings had put together with their parents and later that the girls had put together with her and Jed lay on display on many of the white bead-board end tables. A couple of plump well worn chairs faced a lovely stone fireplace, the mantle of which held pictures of her and her siblings growing up, as well as her, Jed, and their children and Evan's four children – Owen, Max, Bridget and Tess. Lining the fireplaces were floor to ceiling shelves filled with more pictures, vases, candles, hurricane lamps, board games and books – dozens and dozens of books. Abbey's fingers ran along the spines of the books of her childhood left here for her girls, and Evan's, to enjoy along with new ones they had added, like the whole section of Judy Blume and Zoey and Annie's Harry Potter series. She remembered with a soft laugh the summer that Jed had read _Are You There God? It's Me Margaret_. He'd felt left out because it had seemed such an important book to the girls and he felt left out of the conversations that she'd been able to share with them about it. Of course, even after he had read it and was prepared to discuss it with them, they were far too embarrassed to discuss their feelings, and Margaret's, about their changing adolescent bodies and the anticipation and nervousness with which they approached their impending periods with their FATHER. Instead, he had taken them out on the boat fishing, both he – and they – felt more comfortable in this more traditional fatherly task. Still, it had really touched her heart that he had tried. 

Her fingers continued on tracing the shelves of her father's favorite mysteries and her mother's biographies and a whole shelf of Nantucket history books including the ones that had fascinated her and Jane when they were girls – the famous stories of Nantucket shipwrecks and ghosts and pirates. There had been nothing like curling up under her quilt on a chilly fog enshrouded day to read a good ghost story. Liz, Ellie and Zoey had devoured those as well, and as Abbey pulled out one of the books, she knew that when they were older, Nicholas and Aislinn would be enthralled with them as well. It filled her with warmth to think of her children enjoying the same things that she had as a child. 

Coming here to Nantucket had always held a sense of freedom for Abbey. Every summer for at least one month, sometimes two, her parents would pack her, Jane and Evan and a car load of luggage and catch the ferry at Woods Hole that would take them thirty miles out into Nantucket Sound to be deposited on Steamship Wharf in Nantucket Town, the main and only real "city" on the island. From the time she was a child, Abbey had loved this little island with its cobblestone streets and antique gas lights, its 19th century sea captains mansions and sweet gray shingled cottages, its wide open sandy beaches and pricey gourmet restaurants. She had read once that Nantucket was like a place where the prairie met the sea and she always felt that it was the perfect description. The island was a flat spit of sand filled with bays and salt ponds and covered in moors and cranberry bogs. The wind and salt were too much for anything other than small scrub oaks to grow so there was no real forestation. It was completely different from the high rocky cliffs of the Maine coast – the dramatic crashing surf and the towering pine trees. There was drama here as well, no doubt. The beauty of sweeping vistas, salt ponds, waving eelgrass and sandy dunes along with the vastness of the ocean that encircled them on every side, but it was a more subtle beauty. If Maine was passion then Nantucket was sensuality. And, when she was a child, Nantucket had meant freedom. From morning until dusk, she, Jane, Evan – and for a few weeks every summer, Nora – were off on their many adventures. They rode their bikes everywhere – up to Sankaty Head and Gibbs Pond, Altar Rock and Bartlett's farm – four heads with various shades of auburn hair trailing out behind them. They picked buckets and buckets of blueberries and raked bushels of clams out of the flats. They spent hours combing the pristine white beaches for seashells and rainy days in the Athenaeum picking over library books. They set off with fishing poles across the street to the large salt pond and fished off their dock or, when they were a little older, off the old rowboat they were allowed to take out only in the safety of the pond. They explored the area around the cranberry bog and had wonderful, fun, theme picnics with Beth. They didn't have a television on the island, by design, so evenings were spent playing board games and cards and reading the many books that lined the fireplace. 

Because of his work, Michael was only able to manage about two full weeks every summer to stay with them, but he commuted down every weekend and every Friday Abbey waited impatiently for his arrival. Michael O'Neill was always greeted joyously at the door. Everyone, especially her mother, seemed happier when Michael was with them. Secretly, Abbey was too. She loved her mother, but she was a daddy's girl through and through. Things were a little more adventurous when he was around. Michael took the whole family out on the Boston Whaler he and Beth owned out onto the open sea, sometimes as far as their larger neighbor, Martha's Vineyard, or to the wild barely inhabited Tuckernuck Island. Michael took them into the marshes armed with an Audubon field guide for North American birds and a pair of binoculars to try to identify as many bird species as possible – a tradition that she and Jed had later enjoyed with their own daughters. 

The nights when Michael was with them were spent on the back porch playing marathon games of Scrabble. It was an idyllic time and Abbey had been thrilled to pass that kind of summer on to her own children whether it was here or more often than not at Windy Point where they still lived the same lifestyle. 

Standing at the big window at the back of the house that faced the white beach and the ocean beyond, Abbey took a deep breath and pulled herself away from the stroll down memory lane. It was time to get to work. After quickly speaking to the children, Jed had left to go across the street to the salt pond to prepare the boat while she was supposed to be getting their picnic ready. 

Opening the refrigerator, she noticed right away that Jed was right. Mrs. Macy had stocked them very well indeed for their visit. She pulled out the platter of fried chicken, a plate of deviled eggs and three Tupperware containers consisting of different salads – macaroni and cucumber, diced tomato, cucumber, celery and mozzarella soaking in Italian dressing and a melon salad with cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon. She packed the food into the wicker picnic basket, then as an afterthought, grabbed a bottle of wine from the rack. Jed had brought the cooler filled with bottled water and beer, but she wasn't sure if he'd remembered the wine. Finally, she slipped her sunglasses on and grabbed her book and sunscreen and tossed them into her beach bag. She was ready to go. She stepped out the front door down a couple of steps to the flagstone walkway. The cottage was built to face the old narrow dirt road and across the road lay the large salt pond that at the far end held an inlet to the sea. It was the back of the cottage that held the large porch and views of the Atlantic. 

The home was a typical Nantucket gray shingled cottage with window boxes spilling over with Beth's colorful pink and white geraniums. A ship rail fence lined the front of the property and along its edges the Rosa rugosa bloomed in a profusion of color. 

Before Abbey had take two steps down the walkway, one of the agents stepped forward to take the picnic basket. She tried to refuse the offer of help, after all these men were here to protect her, not play lady in waiting, but chivalry was strong among the members of the Service. They genuinely liked Abbey Bartlet and weren't about to watch her carry the big basket. So Abbey set off toward the pond, her feet crunching on the crushed oyster shell driveway as she made her way toward the road. Traffic was not an issue. The cottage was pretty secluded, set as it was on a dead end, something that pleased the Service immensely. The small cranberry bog on conservation land insured that nobody would be building anywhere close. 

Abbey crossed the narrow sandy dirt road, made her way over the small dune, and began her descent down to the pond. There tied to a small dock was the _AWOL_ , a pretty, gleaming white Boston Whaler that belonged to her parents, thus named because Michael always said he felt like he was AWOL when he was out at sea. Agents milled about the boat and she knew that several cigarette boats, along with a coast guard cutter would follow them at a discreet distance once they set out, but her eyes were on the man at the stern of the boat. Wearing bright yellow and navy swimming trunks and a navy cotton T-shirt, Jed stood with one tanned leg propped up on the cooler, elbow resting on his knee, a cigarette clenched between his fingers. The breeze blew his tawny hair against his face and when he saw her standing on the edge of the dock, he smiled up at her, his clear blue eyes crinkling at the corners. Even after all these years, he could still make her heart skip a beat. 

"Got room for anyone else on board, skipper?" Her voice was light and flirty. Jed's eyes took in the black crochet style bikini top that her breasts filled out completely – the black bikini, there really was a God – and the sheer black sarong with the big Hawaiian red flowers that she had tied at one hip emphasizing her narrow waist and long legs. A big floppy straw hat sat on top of her bright auburn curls and dark sunglasses covered her eyes. She looked like a movie star. It was no wonder he'd heard through the grapevine that agents had fought to get this duty. 

"Honey, even if I didn't have room, I'd MAKE room for someone as gorgeous as you." 

Abbey grinned, her dimples flashing at him as he stubbed his cigarette out then held out a hand to help her on to the boat. Once she was on board, Jed started the motor and began slowly easing them away from the dock and out into the pond. Abbey stared down into the glassy brackish water. The bottom was sandy and covered with mussel and clam shells and every now and then a small school of fish darted underneath them. It was a gorgeous, cloudless day – the sky, the brilliant azure of her husband's eyes. The tall eelgrass that grew in the marsh and the sea grass on the sandy dunes that lined the pond waved in the gentle sea breeze while seagulls bobbed on the calm surface of the water. It was untouched, unspoiled and thus treasured beyond measure by both Abbey and Jed. But, they weren't poking around the pond today; instead they made their way through the inlet to the place between two high dunes where the salt pond emptied into the sea. No matter how many times Abbey had made this trip, it never failed to awe her, the greenish water of the enclosed salt pond giving way to the magnificent darker cobalt blue of the boundless open ocean; the sun shining off the white caps. She knew there was nothing but endless water between where they were and the coast of Portugal. 

As the _AWOL_ moved from the protection of the pond, the larger swells of the sea started to rock the small boat and Jed opened the throttle. Abbey wrapped her arms around him from behind, her cheek resting on the back of his shoulder inhaling his scent – soap, sweat, sunscreen and sexy male Jed, while her eyes soaked it all in. It was going to be a glorious day. 


	10. Summer of Us, The

  
Author's notes: \"Company of the Cauldron\" really does exist, however I added a few things to make it \"fit\" into the story the way that I wanted it to, namely the fact that I added a private back room with a balcony overlooking the water. In looking for a restaurant for our favorite couple to enjoy a romantic meal, I was urged by a friend to choose this one. I went on to its website to check it out and I noticed something extremely interesting. In a section where they were showing handwritten notes of thanks from patrons to the restaurant there was one from 2003 written by...you guessed it...MARTIN SHEEN. Being the Martin/Stockard nerd that I am, this made me extremely excited and of course, led me to HAVE to use this restaurant in my story. The notes Martin sent - there were two - were to thank the chef for turning raw ingredients into something magical and were signed \"Martin and Renee\". I think it's so sweet that he sends handwritten notes to the chefs - the one in Manchester is on display. He is a genuinely good and kind man.  


* * *

Elizabeth sat on the porch watching the twins and Gus ride their bikes over the lawn – the twins on shiny red tricycles, Gus on his little dirt bike with the training wheels still attached. Her eyes were on the children – watching as Panda ran worried circles around them trying to keep them all together in a herd, while Max sat regally regarding them, ready to jump in and help if need be – but her mind was miles away, back in Derry with Doug. He'd left early that morning after promising to stay with her at the beach for a couple of days. "There's so much to do back home and you know the beach isn't my thing, babe. You stay and have fun with the kids." He'd flashed her that boyish smile that he thought was so appealing and that she'd probably found appealing at one point as well. Now seeing it was like nails down a chalkboard to her. It was his good old boy smile; it was as fake and phony as he was. 

Liz sighed deeply wondering just where her marriage had gone so wrong. She'd envisioned a marriage like her parents' and her maternal grandparents' filled with love and respect and equality, and instead it had turned out to be one huge disappointment, closer, she thought with a horrible shudder, to her Bartlet grandparents. 

"Hey, honey, you're awfully quiet today." Elizabeth felt her grandmother Beth's hand smooth over her hair as she sat next to her on the porch swing. "Are you missing, Doug?" 

Elizabeth gave a soft snort of derision. "Not exactly." 

Beth lifted a brow. 

"I guess that's the problem, isn't it?" Liz stared straight ahead. "A wife should miss her husband when he goes away, shouldn't she?" 

"I guess that depends. Everybody needs some time alone once in a while." 

"The problem is that I like it better when I AM alone. Things are so much better when Doug isn't around." 

"Oh, honey, all marriages have rough patches." 

"I don't feel anything for him anymore, Gram, not what I should feel anyway." It was the first time Liz had actually said that out loud. 

Beth looked at her granddaughter with shock, saw the tears welling in Elizabeth's eyes and pulled her into her embrace. 

"It's kind of ironic, isn't it," Elizabeth's laugh was bitter against her grandmother's shoulder. "My parents who have been married for three decades are down in Nantucket probably barely getting out of bed because they can't get enough of each other and I can't remember the last time that Doug and I had sex." Not that sex with Doug had been anything to rave about, Liz thought. Doug was as selfish in bed as he was in his life; the entire act merely a few minutes of him taking his sexual release with no thought to the fact that she might want the same, assuming arrogantly that he was so good that she must have climaxed. Just recently when she had tried to gently broach the subject with him, he had brushed her off saying that it wasn't his fault and that he didn't understand how a daughter of Abbey Bartlet could be so damn frigid. 

"Sexual drives go up and down. Maybe he's having a problem." 

"Or maybe he's having an affair." 

"Oh, Lizzie, you don't mean that." 

"Yes, I do. There have been rumors." 

"Elizabeth Bartlet, you know better than to listen to rumors. Your husband is dipping his toe into politics and you as well as anyone know what that entails. You don't think people tried to make up rumors about your father that your mother had to live with?" 

"But there's a difference. Mom KNOWS Daddy loves her. She knows he still...you know...wants her. She knows she can trust him." 

"And you don't trust Doug?" 

"Quite frankly, no. He's always off down in Washington trying to raise money and support for his congressional run. It hasn't been easy considering the fact that everyone knows that Dad is not behind him. Do you have any idea how many times I've called his hotel room and he doesn't answer? Three, four in the morning and he's not there. Dad was always there when Mom called." 

"Have you asked him about it?" 

Elizabeth shook her head negatively. 

"Why not?" 

"Because I guess it's easier to turn to blind eye than to find out for sure that I'm right. Because if I'm right, I don't know how I'll stay in my marriage and I have to stay in my marriage." 

"I WANT MY MOMMY!" Nicholas raced across the lawn toward the house holding his elbow. Liz jumped to her feet and met him as he ran up the stairs. 

"Nicky, what happened?" 

Nicholas twisted out of his older sister's arms tears streaming down his cheeks. "I want my mommy," his demand was now a pitiful whimper. "I want my mommy." 

"Mommy's not here, sweetheart, but I'm here and Gram is here and we're going to take really good care of you. Can you let me see your boo boo?" 

"Nicky wanted to try my bike and he tipped over," Gus informed them, his guilt filled eyes falling to the ground. 

"He hit a rock," Aislinn added. 

Liz surveyed the scraped elbow. "Nicholas, that bike is too big for you." 

"But I LIKE it," Nicky hiccupped. 

"I know you do, but Gus is two years older than you. When you're five, you can have a bike just like that if you want, but for now you have to stick to bicycles for three-year-olds. Okay?" 

Nicky nodded with a sniffle and wiped at his eyes with the back of a dirty hand. He looked so sad and pathetic it kicked Elizabeth's maternal instincts into overdrive and she pulled her little brother's head against her chest kissing his hair. 

"You're boo boo isn't that bad, Nick," she assured him. "We'll just put a little peroxide on it and a nice Band-Aid." 

"Mommy lets me have SpongeBob," he sniffled again. 

"Of course you can have a SpongeBob Band-Aid. And then we'll have lunch. How does that sound?" 

"C'n I have gwilled cheese?" 

Liz smiled looking down into her baby brother's adorable tear streaked face, his bottom lip still trembling. "You can have whatever you like." 

**** 

Abbey laughed as she watched Jed dive like a porpoise into the waves that crashed into the beach. Here on the Atlantic side of the island where her parents' cottage was, the surf was a lot stronger than the calmer side on Nantucket Sound, the waves more impressive. 

Jed stood in water up to his waist shaking his head to clear his ears while the waves knocked him about. He watched Abbey standing at the water's edge as she untied the sarong from her hips. God, he loved how she looked in a bikini, her full breasts nearly spilling out of the cups, the inward slant at her tiny waist, the hourglass curve at the gentle flare of her hips where the only thing holding on the tiny scraps of her bottoms were two string ties and of course her long toned slender legs. 

"Are you going to stand there all day or are you coming in?" he asked. 

"I'm coming in," Abbey slowly moved into the water allowing her knees to get used to the cold before moving forward a couple more steps. 

"We don't have all day, darlin'." Jed took a few warning steps towards her. 

"I'm just fine. Keep your distance." She took another few steps jumping with a gasp as a wave crashed into her legs, splashing up her thighs. Her nipples hardened painfully at the cold and Jed grinned as he watched her press her arms into them to try to warm them. He took another few steps toward her. 

"Jed." Her tone held a wealth of warning. 

"I just want to hold your hand, sweetheart." He reached out to take her hand then quickly yanked her toward him lifting her up and over his shoulder turning to head out into the surf. 

"Put me down!" she shrieked kicking her feet and hitting at his back. 

"As you wish, milady." He dropped her into a wave. She came up sputtering and gasping her long wet hair tangled over her face. 

"You bastard!" She pushed the hair from her face then glared at him where he stood laughing. "You're going to pay for that." She lunged at him and soon they were shrieking and laughing, dunking each other and wrestling in the surf. When they finally tired of playing in the water, they climbed back up onto the beach, throwing themselves on their blanket like exhausted children, allowing the sun to warm and dry them. It was a perfect sunny beach day, not a cloud in the sky. They'd spent the morning out on the boat exploring, fishing and eating their picnic lunch on a secluded sandy shoal, but with the sun shining brightly, relentlessly, they had decided it was time to return to beach and cool down. Now sufficiently cooled down, Abbey reached into her beach bag for her book and Jed flicked the small radio on tuning it over to WEEI's Red Sox coverage. 

Peering over her reading glasses at him from time to time, Abbey had to smile. Jed was sprawled out on his back on the blanket with his eyes closed. She loved seeing him actually relaxing in the middle of the day. However, she knew that he was not sleeping because whenever the Sox gave up a hit, she watched his face wince and when they gave up a homerun she heard a muttered "goddammit". She'd known from the start that he wouldn't be able to sit still for long and after about a half hour of listening to the game and soaking up the sun and yet another homerun had been given up, he shut off the radio with disgust and said he was going to look for seashells for the kids. 

Without the drone of the game in the background and without having to keep an eye on her two active toddlers, Abbey soon found herself dozing off. She'd had a long night and had been up early in the morning and a catnap was just what the doctor ordered. She threw her book down and rolled over onto her belly, untying her bathing suit top to keep from getting tan lines. By the time Jed returned from his walk and another dip in the sea, she was sound asleep. 

"Aaaaby..." He drew out her name, his hair dripping on her hot bare skin. 

"Hmm..." Abbey murmured sleepily. "Go away." 

"Time to wake up." He stretched out beside her and she gasped at the touch of his frigid cold body, instinctively rolling away from him. 

"Why are you being such a pest? You're as bad as the kids." 

"I'm bored." 

"Go build a sandcastle." She rolled over holding her top to her breasts and reached for the sunscreen. She squirted some of the lotion onto her flat belly and Jed watched her rub it in with fascination. The way her hand moved over her own body was almost more carnal than watching his own, especially when her fingertips touched the edge of her bikini bottom. He bit his lip waiting for her to slide her fingers under the triangular piece of fabric and over herself, fantasizing watching her touching herself. Instead, she took the bottle again squirting this time into her hands, then smoothed it into her chest. Jed found himself holding his breath as her hand moved under the fabric of her top and over the swell of her breast. It was then that he knew what she was up to. 

"You're torturing me, aren't you?" His eyes narrowed. 

"I don't know what you're talking about." Her eyes were wide pools of innocence with laughter dancing in their depths. "I'm just protecting my skin." 

"Like hell you are, you little minx." He took the hand that had been spreading the lotion on her skin and pulled her closer to him until his face was mere inches from hers. He kissed her then, long and sweet, his tongue sliding into her mouth and teasing hers. 

"Mmmm... You taste like beach plums," she murmured against his lips. 

"I found a patch...out by the dunes." 

"I like beach plums." Her tongue swept into his mouth tasting him, tantalizing him. 

They kissed and kissed much as they had all those years ago when they'd barely been out of their teens, the sun warming their bodies, the kisses heating their blood. At some point, Abbey let go of her bathing suit top and curved her arm around Jed's neck. It was only when his big warm hand covered the cooler mound of her bare breast that Abbey realized how carried away they had gotten, and how laying like this on the middle of the beach, they were completely exposed to the eyes of the Secret Service agents and anyone else with a high powered camera. 

"Jed." She pushed at him gently, tugging at her suit. "Stop." 

"I donwannastop." He was still caught up in the sensual haze of their kissing. 

"We can't do this here. Come on." 

"Where are we going?" 

"The bedroom." 

Jed grinned. "Well, all right then." 

**** 

Back in the bedroom, both Abbey and Jed quickly divested themselves of their swimsuits and stretched out nude face to face on the bed. Jed reached out a hand and traced his fingers from the side of Abbey's breasts down over the slope at her waist to her hip and back again. She shivered at the gentle touch despite the heat. Her own hand reached out to touch his face tracing her fingers over his cheekbone and his lips then moving further down to flick her thumb nail over his flat male nipple eliciting shivers of her own. Soft green eyes met dazzling blue; gazes unwavering as their hands continued to caress each other. The shower had been passionate and erotic, but this was the intimacy that Abbey craved, face to face, slow, languid loving. 

Finally they kissed, but it was not the urgent demanding kisses they usually shared. These kisses were long and drugging, slowly lulling their bodies into arousal. They paused frequently, hands cupped gently on each other's faces, noses brushing softly together, smiles curving on their lips. He kissed her eyelids; she brushed his hair back off his face. He nuzzled into that sweet spot just below her ear and she rubbed her palms over his chest. The tenderness of it all was enough to make Abbey want to weep. Eyes filled with love continued to caress each other just as lovingly as their hands stroked each other's bodies. After a long while, Jed's hands moved to her breasts weighing and kneading while Abbey's moved to his buttocks gently raking her nails over him and giving soft squeezes each time he touched her nipples. 

Abbey kissed along his jaw line tensing with anticipation as his hand trailed over her abdomen and settled over her sex. Simply enjoying the feel of her, Jed rested his palm over her mound content for the moment to gently rub and trail his fingers through the soft auburn curls. Abbey's hips began to move restlessly against his hand and he felt her breath starting to quicken as she sucked at the skin on his shoulder. When finally he slid a finger down into her cleft, her teeth clamped down on his skin and she reached a hand between their bodies to take his shaft in hand, sliding gently over him with the same rhythm he used to stroke between her thighs. No words were spoken, no words were needed. Both knew the strong desire to unite as one. Abbey drew her knee up and over Jed's hip aligning them mouth to mouth, breast to chest, hip to hip. They continued to kiss, Abbey pressing her sensitive hard nipples into his rough chest hair, her pelvis rocking against his hardened penis. She pushed her leg more fully over Jed and he took the hint pulling her buttocks more closely to him and drawing his shaft down from his groin to settle at her entrance. He inserted his tip, felt her body quiver and paused for a moment. 

"Open your eyes, baby." 

Abbey hadn't even realized they were closed. Her eyes opened and with their gazes locked, Jed moved his hips forward at the same moment he pulled her rear to him, burying himself into her depths. 

"Mmm..." she groaned softly. "I love that...I love you...love you." Her lips pressed into his as slowly, almost lazily, Jed began to rock against her, his thrusts even and measured, taking great pleasure in the feel of the slide within and without, reveling in the idea that he didn't have to rush, that he could take his time with her without fear of being interrupted. In fact, he wished that he could do this for hours. Oh, he knew that he couldn't, knew that soon the passion would build to a shattering crescendo, but right now it was so nice to hold Abbey in his arms and just enjoy the sensuality of feeling her warm wet walls stroking and sliding against his shaft. 

His hand cupped over her rear pulling her lower body up more firmly against him and she wrapped her arm around his torso pulling his chest more firmly against her. They continued to make long, languid love this way, face to face, bodies pressed tightly together as if they were one, Jed buried so deeply within Abbey she no longer knew where he ended and she began. And, even when the urgency grew, they stayed clinging to each other, riding out their breathless climaxes together, their cries of pleasure as they both came released into each other's mouths while they kissed through it. And when it was over – their energy completely sapped – the steady, soothing sound of the surf lulled the tired, satiated lovers to sleep. 

**** 

A little while later Abbey awoke with a soft moan, a strange feeling of fullness between her thighs. Blinking her eyes, she realized Jed was on his back sleeping, that she was lying on top of him and that he was still embedded within her – hard as a rock. She moved experimentally, wincing slightly with a soft moan as his shaft moved inside her. Jed was not a small man by any means and they'd been having sex like newlyweds. It was only natural that she'd be a little sore. 

Stirring in her arms, groaning softly, Jed opened his eyes. She smiled as she saw the moment he realized just where he was, surprise widening them. 

"Hello, big guy. Do I know you?" 

Jed grinned sleepily and reached out a hand to tuck a strawberry curl behind her ear. "I sure hope so. I'd hate to think I just made love to a woman who wakes up with strange male penises inside her." 

Abbey chuckled and lightly kissed his lips. Feeling the effects of his arousal now that he was awake, Jed pumped his hips up at her a couple of times and that was really all it took. He just wasn't awake enough to have the willpower to hold off his orgasm. 

"Oh...Shit, Abbey...Sorry about that." He knew he'd come too soon and left her hanging. 

Abbey smiled at the sheepish look on his face and traced a finger over his brow. "It's okay. Don't worry about it. You gave me a couple extra this morning." She lifted herself from his body. Jed didn't miss the wince that pinched her face. 

"Abbey...did I hurt you?" He was frowning now, realizing that it couldn't have been comfortable for her to have slept with him swollen and marble hard inside her. 

"No, I'm just a little tender. It's been a while since we've had the opportunity to have quite so much sex at one time." She started to crawl off the bed but he grabbed her wrist. 

"Jed," she protested, "I want to take a shower before we go out to dinner." 

"I owe you. Let me make you feel better, sweetheart." He leaned her back against the pillows and spread her legs, her tousled hair falling wantonly over her shoulders and breasts. 

"Oh, now that's a beautiful presentation." He sighed with appreciation then stretched out beside her, his fingers gently tracing and stroking the sweet wet softness between her thighs. She was slick from his earlier orgasms and that made his silky touch all the more pleasurable. His fingers were gentle and soothing and it didn't take long at all for him to stroke her right into a back arching climax. While she was still trying to catch her breath, he bent down and gently kissed the quivering, tender pink flesh between her legs. 

"All better?" he asked hopefully. 

"Yeah," she smiled reaching a hand down to run her fingers through his hair. "You always know how to make me feel better." 

**** 

"My mommy don't make me eat peas." Nicholas crossed his arms with a mutinous expression on his face. 

"Doesn't make me eat peas," Emily automatically corrected. 

"Doesn't make me eat peas," Nicholas nodded as if his grandmother were agreeing with him. 

"Oh yes she does," Elizabeth argued. 

"Nunh uh." 

"Nicholas, I know that she makes you eat your peas." 

"How does you know?" 

"Because your mother is MY mother and MY mother always made me eat my peas. Now eat up or no dessert." 

"Yes, you don't want to miss dessert tonight," Beth said brightly in an effort to coerce her young grandson into finishing his meal. "Annie and I made cupcakes and I thought you and Aislinn and Gus might want to help me put the frosting on them after supper." 

"I wanna help you, Gammy." Aislinn shoved a fistful of peas into her mouth. 

"Me too." Gus nodded enthusiastically. 

Not wanting to be left out, Nicholas looked down at his plate with dismay then slowly, grudgingly, he picked up a couple of peas and brought them to his mouth. "I wanna help too." 

Liz smiled and kissed the top of his head. "You're a good boy." 

With the pea crisis over, attention was diverted from Nicholas to Aislinn who was giving her grandparents a rambling synopsis of her "favoritist" movie, _The Lion King_ , which she wanted to watch before bed that evening. 

"Then Scar KILLED Simba's daddy." Aislinn's eyes widened as she told her story. "I HATE Scar. He's mean. Daddy say that Mufasa is wise 'n boble." 

"Boble?" The adults around the table tried to work their way around that one until Zoey filled them in. 

"Noble," she said with a grin. "Dad said Mufasa was wise and noble." 

"Ahh...Well, that makes more sense." 

Taking advantage of the lack of attention being paid to him, Michael watched Nicholas quietly slip a hand filled with peas under the table. He peeked under the tablecloth, grinning as he saw Panda seated at Nicky's side eating away the evidence for her young master. Nicky's eyes widened when he saw his grandfather looking straight at him and knew that he was on to him. His stomach knotted with the idea of being in trouble, of not getting to eat the cupcakes or watch _The Lion King_ but then, much to his surprise, his grampy simply winked at him, his smile widening with their shared secret. Nicholas smiled back and then gave a soft giggle of delight. His grampy was very much like his daddy. 

**** 

Finished in the shower, her hair still wet, Abbey stood wearing just a pair of skimpy panties and a strapless lacy bra in front of her vanity mirror. The face that looked back at her was that of a woman well loved. It was soft, her eyes glowing, her lips kiss swollen. A content, very feminine, very satisfied smile crossed her lips. 

" _I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay, watching the tide roll away, Ooo, I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay Wastin' tiiiime._ " 

Abbey's head turned, her smile widening as she listened to the man who had given her this boneless, completely satiated sense of well being, singing loudly in the shower. 

She was spritzing her long hair with an anti-frizz spray to fight the summer humidity when Jed came out of the bathroom toweling his shaggy hair, another towel tied loosely around his waist. 

"Did you get a chance to talk to the kids?" he asked while he rooted in the closet for a shirt. 

"Yeah, they were eating cupcakes and watching _The Lion King_. Nicky hurt his arm this afternoon." 

"Is he all right?" Jed paused in his search and turned to her with a questioning look. 

"He's fine, he just scraped his elbow up on a rock. Evidently he tried out Gus' bike and fell over. Of course according to him, he nearly broke his arm and bled to death," she chuckled. "Then he tried to convince me he was big enough to have a bike like Gus'." 

"Poor guy. Doesn't quite understand the art of convincing Mom yet, does he?" 

"No." Abbey's smile faded. "He wanted me to come back and kiss his boo boo and tuck him in." 

"Don't do this to yourself, Abbey. The kids will be fine. We need this time alone." 

"Oh, I know. In fact, once we got passed the fact that I wasn't going to be able to come home, I got the whole rundown by the two of them on what they're going to do on the beach tomorrow. I just hate being torn like this. I love being here alone with you and I'm really looking forward to going to Ireland. But, I feel guilty about the kids being upset." 

"You wouldn't be the mom that you are if you didn't feel this way. I feel bad about it too." He placed his hands on her shoulders from behind and dropped a quick kiss on her shoulder before moving back to the closet. 

"Wear the blue and white shirt with the tan pants," she told him. 

"Hey, do I tell you what to wear?" 

"Are we going to have this argument again?" 

"I'm just saying, I'm an adult, Abbey." 

"An adult male. An adult STRAIGHT male. For once just listen to me and put on the blue and white. It will bring out your eyes and play up your tan." 

Jed rolled his eyes, but Abbey noticed with a small smile that he grudgingly grabbed the shirt. He saw that smile out of the corner of his eye. 

"Not a word," he grumbled. 

"I didn't say a thing," she protested. 

"But you were thinking it." 

"As connected as we are, honey bear, you CANNOT read my mind." 

"Wanna bet." Jed moved forward and Abbey knew exactly what he had in mind. 

"Don't even think about it." She held her hand out. "We have reservations." 

"I'm the President. Do you honestly think they'll give it away if we're late." 

"Jed," she said pointing firmly at his clothes. "Go get dressed." 

"Okay, but I'm calling that a forfeit." 

"A forfeit?" 

"You forfeited the point so I win." 

Abbey rolled her eyes then pulled her dress down off the hanger. Eyeballing it for a moment, rolling the silky fabric between her thumb and finger and unaware that Jed was watching her with interest, she set the dress aside then unhooked her powder blue bra tossing it over onto the bed. Once she was braless, wearing only the French cut bikini panties, she slid the bright sapphire silk dress over her head shivering at the feel of the cool satiny material settling sensuously over her bare skin, her sensitive nipples immediately tightening. It was a loose slip style dress that gently spilled over her curves, perfect for a hot summer night. It was cut low, revealing a hint of her cleavage and fell with a swish just above her knees, while four-inch summer slides with two skinny sapphire straps across her toes defined her sexy tanned calves. Almost completely nude under the dress, Abbey was aware of her body in a way that was so very womanly, a combination of soreness and sensitivity and boneless satisfaction that screamed her femininity and gave her an overwhelming feeling of her own sexuality, her own sexual power. She was putting on a pair of diamond and sapphire drop earrings when she felt Jed's hands wrap up around her from behind. 

"Jed?" 

His hands moved to her breasts, the flat of his thumb sliding over the hard tips of her nipples. "When you feel this dress move over your bare skin, over your nipples, I want you to think about me touching you there, about my hands and my lips all over your body." 

"Jed," she swallowed, fighting her body's immediate response to her husband's carnality. "Finish getting dressed pleased." 

He chuckled and grabbed his pants and began sliding them up his legs knowing he had just given his wife something to think about all evening long. "By the way, I know I said that I could read your mind earlier but now I KNOW that you can read mine." 

"What?" 

"If I'd been picking out your clothes, I'd have taken the bra off as well." 

"It was rubbing against my sunburn." 

"You keep sticking to that story, honey. I'll back you up." 

Abbey shook her head with a smile. Her husband could be impossible at times. 

**** 

The Presidential motorcade made its way from the sleepy village of 'Sconset across to the busier Nantucket Town, hub of activity on the small island. The small seaport, once the whaling capital of the world, was a perfectly preserved historic treasure. It was filled with eighteenth and nineteenth century homes that had been abandoned when the whaling industry came to a halt then rediscovered a century later by people willing to restore the treasured homes rather than tearing down and rebuilding like most areas of the country. The result was like stepping back in time, with stately homes placed close together, picket or wrought iron fences covered in roses giving the streets one continuous line. Cobblestone streets lined by narrow brick sidewalks and illuminated by electric replications of old gaslights made their way down to the waterfront. Restaurants were in old taverns or cellars and filled with objects of days gone by. 

The end of India Street had been closed off to traffic thanks to the visit by the President, a reason that, when Jed and Abbey were on island, they only infrequently went into town, reluctant to completely disrupt things. Closed off, nestled at the end of the street lay Company of the Cauldron, a charming and pretty dark red, one story building covered in ivy that cascaded over the windows and roses that climbed the trellises. 

As Abbey and Jed stepped from the car, a barrage of flashbulbs and TV lights assaulted them from where the press, desperate for coverage of the First Couple since they had not been seen since before their romantic vow renewal ceremony, was cordoned off along with the many curiosity seekers, themselves desperate for a glimpse of the famous couple. When security was at such a premium, the President's whereabouts could never really be a secret. 

Jed led Abbey toward the restaurant door with a gentlemanly hand along her back and the tanned, extremely attractive couple waved to the well wishers and smiled dutifully for the cameras ignoring any shouted questions before disappearing through the door. Once inside, they were greeted warmly by the hostess and the chef and then led into the intimate romantic atmosphere of the restaurant. The rooms were dark, lit only by the candles that were flickering on each table, on sconces along the walls, and dangling from small elegant chandeliers. A huge half ship hung from the ceiling and copper pots and antique ship paintings covered the walls. The scent of the flowers that graced each table filled the room and the sound of soft harp music added to the romantic ambience. Out of respect for their President, the diners stood when the First Couple entered the room. Jed and Abbey shook many hands made a bit of small talk and then were led to a private back room that looked out over the water. Two tables were set for them, one outside the French doors that led to a small deck overlooking the bay and one inside the more intimate room. 

They started their evening enjoying cocktails outside on the private deck. After a day on the beach, their skin kissed by the salt and sun, and an afternoon of napping and making love, this was the perfect relaxing end to their day. Abbey sipped at a delicious watermelon margarita while Jed chose his more traditional scotch and the two of them enjoyed an appetizer of open mussels soaked in butter, wine and herbs. They watched the sun set, the sky ablaze in shades of orange and pink and purple and once the spectacle was over, they moved inside to their pretty table with its vase of tea roses and brass candelabrum already lit for them. 

Jed sat back in his chair watching the candlelight softly flicker over his wife's lovely features bringing out the fiery highlights in her long glossy strawberry blond tresses and alighting in her eyes. Her eyes. God, he could spend forever staring into those chameleon eyes. At a quick observation, they were a pretty jade green, but at a closer look one could see the flecks of yellow and gray and blue. He knew how much she loved his eyes, but to him they were just boring old blue. It was hers that were intriguing; hers that changed with her mood and her clothes. 

"You're staring at me, Jed," she smiled. 

"Can't help it. You're beautiful." He reached out to take her hand, his fingers toying with the big diamond he'd put on her finger so many years ago. 

"What were you thinking?" 

"That I told you once I could spend forever just trying to figure out exactly what color your eyes are." 

"And?" 

"After all these years I still don't know," he laughed softly. "But I'm sure not going to stop trying to figure it out." 

There were times that Abbey felt so close to her husband and others when she felt so distant. Tonight was one of those good nights. She felt as close to him as she ever had. 

"Do you ever wish that it had been different?" she asked. "Do you ever wish that you'd gotten a chance to sew your wild oats?" 

"Who says I didn't?" He sipped from the glass of Veuve Clicquot he'd ordered for their dinner. "I sewed them with you." 

"I'm serious, Jed." 

"So am I. I never wanted anyone but you, Abbey, and I never will. What about you?" His question was rather hesitant. "Do you regret that I'm the only lover you've ever had." 

"Has it ever felt like I regret it?" 

"Abbey..." 

"No, Jed, I don't regret it. I guess if I wasn't so satisfied with our sex life then, yeah, I might have wondered what else was out there. But you fulfill me in every way that I need. Besides, I think our lovemaking is so special, so intense, because of the love and respect and trust that we bring to it. Even when it's just sex, it's never really just sex for us." 

"Good answer, Mrs. Bartlet." Jed grinned and kissed the back of her hand over the diamond that told the world she was spoken for. 

"Jed..." Suddenly Abbey's eyes grew shiny with unshed tears. "There's something I need to tell you." 

Jed's heart skipped a beat. "That's usually not the start to anything good." 

"This is good." Her fingers twined with his in reassurance. "This past year...well, it's been the most difficult time in my life." 

Jed nodded, an apology on the tip of his tongue, but Abbey continued before he could speak. 

"I lost who I was for a while there. I lost who WE were. But, you never did. I don't think I could have gotten through everything without knowing you were there for me. Even when I didn't want you physically with me, I knew that I had your love and your support and that if I needed you, you'd come running. That was integral in my healing process. I just really want you to know how much this winter and spring meant to me. How much it meant to have you by my side in the therapy sessions and how open you were in them." 

"Abbey, those sessions were as much for me as they were for you." 

"I know they were, but you really allowed yourself to be open in them and that helped so much in getting everything out and aired and put behind us. And, you were there for me when I went back to that trailer even though you weren't sure it was the right thing to do. And then, of course, your decision to 'date' me again...bowling, midnight swims, gourmet picnics, the Rainbow Room... All of that was very special to me and they are times that I will treasure. It was almost worth going through what I went through to feel this even deeper connection to you, to know for sure that our love is strong enough to withstand anything. And now, all of this." She gestured to the room. "Asking me to renew our vows, the ceremony, and this wonderful second honeymoon, it means more to me than I can say." 

"You're doing just fine," Jed's voice was husky with emotion. "This year really did put us through the ringer, but it made me realize for sure some things that I already knew. That you and the children are more important to me than life itself and that I couldn't even imagine my life without you in it. I love you, Abbey. I always have and I always will." 

"Now THAT, my darlin', was a good answer." 

"Are you gonna finish that dessert?" Jed eyed Abbey's half-eaten Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta topped with a strawberry puree. 

Abbey gave a soft laugh. How like a man to move from such intimate, romantic chat to wanting to fill his stomach. 

"No, I'm full." 

He started to reach for it but she held it out of his grasp. SHE wasn't done with the romance of the evening and instead of allowing him to eat it on his own, she took her spoon and fed him until there was nary a drop left, then dipped her finger into the strawberry juice and reached out to slip that finger between his lips. Jed suckled on the tip slightly and Abbey felt a corresponding tug in her nipples, a feeling that only grew when she remembered his order to think of his hands and lips on her when her nipples hardened. Jed couldn't help but notice the little tips pointing out at him through the fabric. 

"Are you thinking of my mouth doing this to your nipples?" 

Abbey swallowed and nodded, her breasts swelling, her nipples tightening painfully as the fabric of her dress brushed against the sensitive buds. 

"Are you ready to go home?" 

Abbey nodded again, very aware of her complete nudity under the dress save for her panties. 

"I have a coupon for sex in the backseat of the car. You think you might be up for that?" 

Abbey felt herself grow moist with the naughty suggestion, her excitement growing with the idea of it. She couldn't remember the last time they'd had sex in the car like a couple of lusty teens. She lifted a brow at him. "The question is, will you be up for it?" 

Jed grinned widely. "I don't think it'll be a problem. Come on let's go." He took her hand and led her out of the restaurant and into the back of the SUV. 

"Ron," Jed turned to the head of his security detail. "Would you mind sitting in the front with Coop for the ride home?" 

"Of course, Sir." It was not an unexpected request for Ron. The President and First Lady often liked their privacy in the back of the cars and limos. "Would you like me to put the window up?" It was after all usually the next request. 

Jed looked at Abbey with a slow sexy smile. "Yeah, Ron, put up the window." 


	11. Summer of Us, The

"Shit!" Jed exclaimed. "I think I just broke my elbow." He'd been trying to hurriedly remove his belt and smashed it into the bulletproof window. 

"Slow down just a bit, loverboy," Abbey admonished him playfully, while she squirmed out of her panties. 

"Abbey, this island is fourteen miles by three. Just how long do you think we have?" 

Abbey giggled and reached over to help him work at his belt and zipper. That was part of the excitement and exhilaration of it all – the knowledge that they were going to have to be quite quick and efficient. If the night before had been about romance, this morning about eroticism, and this afternoon about tenderness. Tonight was about fun, pure unadulterated, lusty fun. 

"Did you get rid of your underwear?" Jed was already breathing heavy as he hurriedly slid his pants down over his hips. 

Abbey smiled at him twirling a satiny piece of fabric on her finger. "Anything else, Mr. President?" She knew her sweet baby doll little voice would get his blood pumping. 

"Better get your dress out of the way if you don't want it getting ruined." 

Abbey lifted her dress up over her hips tucking it up under her arms leaving her naked from the waist down. Unable to survey things with her eyes in the semi-darkness, she reached a hand out to cup over Jed's crotch to check how far along things had progressed on his end. She felt the bulge in his underwear grow heavier as her hand pressed and caressed, rubbing gently over him. 

Jed was ready, filled and hard. He yanked his underwear down and together they laughed and groped in the dark trying to get themselves into a comfortable coupling position in the moving car. Jed knelt on the floor pulling Abbey's bottom forward to the edge of the seat. Then, with a hand on each knee, he bent her legs back and pressed them wide for him. She was totally open and exposed to him for a long moment and then he was sinking into her, deeper and deeper until finally he could go no further. And, when that was the case, he grasped onto her hips and began thrusting. Abbey's sharp gasps and his muted grunts were the only sounds as the car continued on its twisting, turning way back to the cottage. Knowing that he only had so much time, Jed's fingers moved to caress Abbey's clitoris the entire time he was sliding in and out of her. As the pleasure within him grew, his thrusts became faster, harder and more erratic, his face growing flush with his efforts. Abbey bucked against him spurring him on with chants of his name and how good he was, her orgasm building and building with every slam forward of his hips. 

The car turned onto a bumpy dirt road that shoved Jed even deeper within her and with a soft cry of surprise Abbey came, her body tightening around him then shuddering and pulsing with the contractions. Jed paused only momentarily bending forward to press a kiss to her damp forehead before he continued to batter himself into her, his own pelvis and groin starting to fill and tighten with his climax. 

"Oh, Abbey...Oh, yes, Abbey..." His groans were breathless and husky. God how she loved to hear that climb to ecstasy, of the pleasure that he took within her body. She reached a hand up to push the sweaty hair back off his face urging him on to completion. He was almost there, his whole body tightening just as they hit a particularly deep rut that knocked him to his side and caused him to slip out of Abbey's body. 

"Damn!" He cursed with frustration. He was so close, so close. He tried to re-insert himself but as he poised himself back at Abbey's entrance, the bumpy road kept him from being able to slide within. 

"Dammit, I think Coop is purposely hitting every pothole in the fucking road." 

Abbey reached for him then, circling her hand around his throbbing shaft, but each time she tried to insert him, they hit another bump in the road and as they made the next turn, she knew they were mere minutes from the cottage. 

"Screw it," she muttered. "There's more than one way..." 

"Do NOT say anything about skinning anything," Jed ground out. 

Abbey giggled softly and pushed him back onto the seat then reached for him, closing her hand warmly around him. "I was going to say 'get you there'." His erection was still slick from her body and she began to run her hand up and down pumping him into the orgasm he'd been so close to reaching within her body. His head was pressed back hard against the leather cushion his eyes closed and his breath coming in soft pants as she worked her magic. After only a few milking strokes, she felt his penis swell and surge in her hand as he came. Hot, pulsing jets of liquid burst forth from him over her hand and his belly. Abbey continued to stroke him while he ejaculated, delighting in each little pulse that she drew from him. It took a couple of minutes for Jed to regain his breath and when he did he looked down with dismay. 

"I made a hell of mess, didn't I?" 

Abbey laughed and pointed to a spot on the roof of the car. "Looks like you were shooting for the moon, babe." 

"I got it on my shirt." 

"And you were worried about staining my dress...Good thing we did this after dinner and not before." 

"You're having a little fun with me here, aren't you?" 

Abbey nodded and reached for a box of tissues quickly wiping her hands and Jed's belly and groin as the car moved into the driveway. By the time Ron gave a discreet knock and opened the door, they were reasonably put back together and if the musky scents of Abbey's perfume and Jed's semen assaulted his senses, he had the training not to flick an eye. 

"Will you be in for the night, sir?" he asked blandly, ignoring the fact that the President was shoving the First Lady's panties into his pocket. 

"Yeah, Ron, we're in for the night. Good night." 

"Good night, sir, ma'am." 

Abbey merely nodded, as it was still disconcerting for her to think that these men had been sitting in the front of the car while she and Jed had been going at it hot and heavy even if she knew they couldn't hear or see a thing. 

"You know," she said linking her arm with Jed's as they entered the cottage, "that used to be a lot easier when we did it in a non-moving vehicle, even if those government SUV's give us more room to maneuver." 

"Being stationary does have its benefits, but I'm the one with rug burns on the knees. I didn't hear you complaining." 

"Nope, I reaped the benefit on that one. Kind of reminded me of those old vibrating beds in the cheap motels. Remember that one that we stayed in on the way to Arcadia National Park?" 

"The Wishing Well in Augusta," he nodded. They'd had to make a stop there while he had a quick afternoon meeting with the governor of Maine and the Holiday Inn was full. 

"I was alone with the girls and they were so enthralled with the vibrating beds I had to keep going to the main office to break bills for quarters and that creepy guy running the place kept giving me the eye, like he was wondering just why I needed so many quarters for that bed." Abbey shook her head with a soft laugh at the memory. 

"Well, we made good use of it later that night, didn't we?" 

Abbey nodded. "And Zoey was so angry with us because we had told her she couldn't make her bed vibrate anymore and yet she could hear our bed and she was pounding on our door yelling that it wasn't fair that WE got to play on the bed and she couldn't." 

"That's our Zoey," Jed chuckled. They had reached the bedroom and both began undressing for bed. Abbey was brushing her teeth when Jed poked his head in the bathroom. 

"Are you tired?" he asked. 

"Depends on what you have in mind." Abbey's glance his way was wary. 

Jed laughed. "I'm not THAT young and sex crazed anymore." 

"Well, I'll give you not that young, but my body tells me differently when it comes to sex crazed." 

"Hey," he protested. "I say again, I haven't heard you complaining." 

"Oh believe me...I'm not." She spit then rinsed her mouth. "I'm enjoying my time as your only mistress. But, if it isn't sex, what did you have in mind?" 

"I was thinking that if you weren't too tired, we could watch a movie." 

"I'd like that. What movie?" 

Jed shuffled through the DVD's Abbey had packed. " _The Quiet Man_?" 

"Sure, why not." 

So, once they were both prepared for bed, Jed in just pair of boxers and Abbey in a shortie nightgown, they snuggled up under the sheets to watch one of Jed's favorite movies. It wasn't his FAVORITE movie. That distinction fell to _High Noon_ , but it was right up there. He'd always loved movies where the main characters had a strong moral fiber and had to fight to keep their integrity and their convictions even in the face of ridicule and humiliation. Marshal Will Kane in _High Noon_ , Sean Thornton in _The Quiet Man_ and Atticus Finch in _To Kill a Mockingbird_ were just a few of his favorites. Abbey had always figured that he was so drawn to those kind of characters for the same reason that she was; because in many ways, he was like them – moral, strong willed, filled with integrity, but also very human, with very human flaws. Over the years, she had watched Jed fight and struggle and rage with frustration as he fought to make the world a better place. She'd watched tears of compassion and empathy fill his eyes as he met with those less fortunate, listened to the hopes and dreams that he had for his country and seen him time after time reaching for the stars. He was a giant among men – and he was her man. And, right now her man was reaching his hand up under her nightie to lightly stroke her back. She smiled, yawned, and snuggled up even closer as the opening music of the movie filled the room, both of them soon engrossed in the tempestuous love story of Sean and Mary Kate, the war between the modern world, such as it was, and ancient traditions. 

**** 

Abbey awoke early in the pre-dawn hour. Jed's arm lay heavy over her chest, his breath warm upon her neck. The television shone solid blue, evidently they had both fallen asleep before the end of the movie. She listened for a few moments to the surf, felt the balmy morning breeze that fluttered the sheer curtains play over her skin. Thanks to both her profession and motherhood, she was more often than not, a morning person. Unlike her husband, the crack of dawn was a time she enjoyed, that quiet hour she had to jumpstart her day before the children or Jed awoke and the house was still peaceful and quiet. Gently she lifted Jed's arm, sliding a pillow under it so he wouldn't awaken. She made her way downstairs and set a pot of coffee to brew before going out onto the porch and curling up on the wicker love seat to gaze out over the sea. The sky was just starting to turn pink as a brilliant orange ball of the fire rose from the metallic gray water suddenly awakening the world to another brilliant day. 

The screen door opened while she was still enjoying the sunrise; the chorus of singing birds as they awakened and the beauty of the sun now shining on water that had changed from gray to deep cobalt blue and turned the spray from the white cresting waves into glittering diamonds as they crashed onto the sandy beach. She turned to see Jed in a pair of faded old khaki shorts and an equally worn navy blue "Save the Whales" T-shirt that Annie had given him. He was barefoot, his hair wet and combed back and he was carrying a tray with mugs of steaming coffee and a Nantucket basket covered by a white linen napkin. 

"What on earth are you doing up at this hour?" she asked. 

"I bring sustenance." 

Abbey gratefully accepted the mug and sipped at the coffee as he sat down next to her. 

"You left me. That pillow doesn't have your warm curves." 

"Well, I tried." She laid her head on his shoulder. He smelled of soap but not aftershave. She soon found out why that was the case when he nuzzled into her cheek with his scruffy jaw. She turned to him running a finger over the gold and silver stubble on his chin. 

"What's this all about?" she asked. 

Jed rubbed his fingers over his beard. "I'm on vacation. I thought I'd skip shaving. So, how do you think I'd look with a goatee?" 

Abbey rolled her eyes. "I don't think so. But I have to admit the scruffy look is rather appealing on you in a rugged and rakish sort of way." 

"Really?" Jed's brow lifted. "Rakish?" 

"Don't get too excited. I don't think that rugged sea captain look is the kind of image the country wants in their President no matter how sexy women might find it." Her eyes fell to the basket on the tray. "What have you got under there anyway?" She lifted the linen napkin to expose fresh homemade cranberry/blueberry muffins, another gift from Mrs. Macy. "Mmmm...now this is the way to a woman's heart." She grabbed a warm muffin and took a bite. 

"I thought food was the way to a man's heart." 

"Don't be sexist." She stretched her legs out over his lap and they munched on their muffins and drank their coffee while making plans for the rest of their day. 

**** 

It was still early morning as they headed out over to the salt pond wearing baseball caps and carrying binoculars, field guides and a cooler filled with cold beer and thick ham and Swiss cheese sandwiches. Together they pulled the old canoe from where it lay covered up on the dune and settled it into the water. Having canoed many times here on the pond, at home, and on their many camping trips with the kids, they were pros. 

Abbey settled the cooler in the middle to balance things out then took her place in the stern, while Jed shoved them out into the water and took the bow. The tide was coming in which was why they'd chosen early morning to go out into the marshes, for, at low tide the pond and its channels emptied out into mud flats. The sun was high, shining on the blue green water and the eelgrass and sea oats waved in the breeze. A blue heron stood perched on one leg at the edge of the marsh staring at them in silent communion. A beautiful black and white loon skidded across the rippling surface then disappeared in a dive coming up with a fish that flashed silver in the sun. A trio of snowy egrets stood motionless in the shallows before with a quicksilver move underwater one of them came up with a writhing crab. High above them Jed pointed out the breathtaking sight of an Osprey soaring against the clear blue sky. It was about as serene and perfect a moment as either of them had experienced in a very long time. 

As they moved from the salt pond deeper into the narrow channels of the marsh, they used their binoculars and field guides to distinguish between the many birds they were seeing. They paddled together in tandem; the canoe smoothly sliding over the surface of the water. As the sun rose even higher in the morning sky, they shucked their T-shirts, Abbey down to a sleek tank style one-piece bathing suit that dipped low in the back affording Jed a nice view of her slender back and Jed, of course, to bare skin. Abbey grinned as she turned back and took in her tanned, bare chested husband. With the soft smattering of dark gold and silver hair that covered his chest, his unkempt jaw and his shaggy tawny hair sticking out from under his baseball cap, he looked young and boyish, extremely Un-Presidential, and sexy as hell. 

"What are you smiling about?" he asked. 

"You." She set her paddle down and with the agile grace of an athletic woman, she moved to the back of the canoe barely tipping it to each side and settled herself between his strong thighs facing forward. "You look very, very sexy." Her fingers trailed over the coarse bronze hair that covered his tanned calves. 

"Messy turns you on, does it?" He continued to paddle while Abbey relaxed between his legs. 

"It's just one of the many sides of you." 

"I have many?" 

"You bet, and I love them all, well mostly all, there are a couple of annoying sides." 

"Very funny." Jed let his oar drip on Abbey's bare leg eliciting a squeal from her. "So, tell me about these sides to me that you like." 

"Well, there is the intellectual professor that set all those co-ed hearts to racing at Dartmouth with your tweed jackets, leather elbow patches and glasses. There is the distinguished and powerful president in your tux and tails. There is the sweet daddy in a spit-up stained T-shirt and jeans and there is the sexy, boyish jock playing basketball in faded old clothes that I should have tossed out ages ago." 

"Which one do you like best?" 

Abbey thought for a minute. "I can't choose. They're all jumbled up into one person, into who you are. Like I said, I love them all. You always tell me that I'm never boring and, you know, neither are you." She turned her head to kiss his knee then reached into the cooler to pull out a couple of Sam Adams popping the tops and handing one back to him. 

"Abbey, it's not even lunch time yet." 

She grinned at him, her nose wrinkling. "We're on vacation. We can do whatever the hell we want." 

Jed grinned back at her and touched his glass bottle to hers. "Amen, sassypants, amen." 

"Now, you want me to tell you about the exasperating sides to you?" 

"I think I'll stick with ignorance is bliss on that one." 

"I thought so," she laughed. 

**** 

Once the tide turned, they had to head back to the dock to keep from being stranded, which was just as well, as the sun shone even stronger in the noon sky with nary a cloud to give them relief. It had become a scorcher of a day and those didn't come often on the temperate island. To combat the heat, they stripped completely down to their suits and spent their mid afternoon on the beach swimming in the cold surf and sunning themselves on the beach. They didn't spend too much time on the beach; Abbey was too cognizant of what too much sun could do to her skin. She had the coloring of her Gaelic ancestors – the auburn hair, green eyes and fair skin – that tended to burn very quickly. As a child she'd been forced to keep her skin covered when she was in the sun and the result was a youthful unlined complexion that her sun worshipping friends now envied. 

Back at the cottage, she hopped into the shower allowing the fresh cool water to wash away the salt, sunscreen and sand from her skin and hair. She stepped out feeling clean and refreshed and after smoothing a moisturizer into her skin that left her smelling faintly of lily of the valley, she changed into a comfortable pair of old denim cut offs and a white tank top. She pulled her long damp hair into a ponytail, slipped her feet into a pair of flip-flops and headed back downstairs. She saw that Jed, who had already showered, was out on the back porch doing a crossword puzzle and she surprised him by coming out with two tall glasses that held chocolate ice cream sodas with vanilla ice cream. 

"Ice cream before supper?" He lifted a brow and set down his magazine. 

"Sssh..." She winked. "I won't tell if you won't tell." 

"Mum's the word, ma'am." He took his glass and dipped his spoon to scoop out the chocolate seltzer and creamy ice cream. 

Abbey's eyes fell to what she thought had been a crossword puzzle. It wasn't. " _Redbook_?" she asked. "Since when do you read my mother's _Redbook_ subscription?" 

"Since it had a title that screamed at me telling me to rate what kind of lover I am." 

"Oh, Jed, those magazines are always having quizzes like that." Abbey shuddered at the thought of the _Cosmo_ quiz she had taken three years ago up in Maine that CJ had read aloud to all her friends. 

"I know, but they're kind of fun. Wanna know what kind of lover I am?" 

"If anyone knows what kind of lover you are, it's me." Abbey licked at her spoon. 

"Humor me, please." 

"Very well," she sighed. "Please tell me what kind of lover you are." 

"Well, since you asked so nicely, I'll tell you. I'm a playmate." 

"A playmate," Abbey choked on her ice cream. "As in Playboy Playmate?" 

"No, not as in Playboy playmate," he scowled. "As in I am playful and boyish and I love making a good romp out of sex. Want me to tell you what it says my lover should wear for me?" 

"If you must." Abbey feigned indifference. 

"Something from Frederick's of Hollywood or Victoria's Secret." 

"Well, no problem on that front. I've got it covered." 

"Or uncovered as the case may be." 

She gave a soft laugh. "I know you well." 

"Want to see how well I know you?" 

"How?" 

"You take the female part of the quiz. While you take it I'll write down which type of lover that I think you are, there are five choices, and we'll see how close I am." 

"I'm not taking that quiz." 

"Why not?" 

"Because the last time I took that _Cosmo_ quiz it ended up in the wrong hands and I've never been able to live it down." 

"Tell you what. You take the quiz and when you're done, I'll burn it." 

"You'll burn it...in the fireplace? You promise?" 

"That's what I said." 

"Okay, but I get to watch." 

"Deal." 

Jed quickly surveyed the questions and his choices then wrote down his answer on a piece of paper. While Abbey answered the questions, he pulled out a deck of cards and began shuffling in preparation of some serious card playing. 

"Finished." She held the magazine up. "Let's see what you guessed." 

Jed opened the paper slip where he had written "The Sensualist". Her eyes widened and she set the magazine down on the table next to her. 

"I'm right, aren't I?" he gloated. "I knew I'd be right." He picked up the magazine. Sure enough after tallying up her answers Abbey had circled 'The Sensualist-You love the smell of his hair, the taste of his lips and the feel of his skin almost as much as the act of sex itself. For sex to be at its best for you, all your senses must be utilized.' "You knew I'd be right, didn't you?" 

Abbey reluctantly nodded. "You've only been calling me a little sensualist for years." 

"Well, it is you, dear. The expensive lingerie, the silk nightgowns and satin lounging pajamas, the scented candles and soft body lotions. Everything about you is sensual." He bent over to brush a kiss to her cheek and she rubbed into the stubble on his jaw. He chuckled. "See, a sensualist." 

"Okay, okay, you made your point. Now, let's go burn that magazine and then I'm gonna beat your ass in rummy." 

"Hah! You can try." 

**** 

"You take care of Gus, I'll check on the twins. If we don't wake them up now, we'll never get them to sleep tonight. " Beth O'Neill turned from her granddaughter to go to the bedroom where her youngest two grandchildren were napping. Both kids were still asleep. It was a hot afternoon even with the fan going, so she and Elizabeth had put the kids down to nap wearing just soft undershirts and underpants. Nicky's arms were thrown up over his head, his shirt riding up to expose his little rounded toddler belly. Aislinn too had kicked her sheet off, but she was splayed out on her belly with knees drawn up and her tiny rump covered in purple Disney Princess underpants sticking in the air as it had when she was a baby. They looked so sweet, so vulnerable that Beth didn't have the heart to awaken them right away. Instead she sat in the rocking chair Abbey kept in their bedroom and watched their bellies rise and fall, listened to the soft sounds they made as they slept, little sighs and sucking noises and even tiny whimpers. 

Emily had left with Jon and Sally that morning. Elizabeth and Zoey had assured her that they could handle the twins on their own, but she and Michael had decided to stay until Abbey and Jed left Nantucket, at which point they would return to their cottage. The truth of the matter was Beth was enjoying spending time with Nicholas and Aislinn. It was nice to feel useful again. When Elizabeth, Ellie and Zoey were little she had been needed quite frequently. She'd flown out to London to be with Abbey when Elizabeth was born and had stayed on to help her daughter learn how to care for a newborn and to help her adjust to new motherhood. 

She had been there to help out with little Elizabeth in the last weeks of Abbey's pregnancy with Ellie and had stood at Abbey's bedside holding her hand during her labor and delivery, sharing in the miracle of birth with both Abbey and Jed. She would never forget the moment that her new baby granddaughter, all red and scrunched up and squalling, slipped from her exhausted daughter's body into her dazed son-in-law's hands. It was a moment she treasured to this day. 

She had been there to take care of both Lizzie and Ellie while Abbey and Jed had spent almost every waking moment in the neonatal unit with premature baby Zoey. And, she had been there again four years later to help with all three girls while the two of them dealt with the grief of burying their stillborn son. 

Over the years when Abbey and Jed wanted to get away for a weekend or needed to travel for their work, it had been her and Michael to whom they had turned. Jed's relationship with his parents was difficult at best and she knew that they were not comfortable leaving the girls with them for any kind of extended period. So, she had lucked out. She had her grandbabies pretty much to herself and had a very close relationship with all three girls. 

Things hadn't been the same with Nicholas and Aislinn. Abbey just hadn't needed her in the same ways at that point in her life. The girls were grown and she hadn't been needed to help care for them while Abbey lumbered around in the last stages of her pregnancy with the twins. And, after the delivery, Abbey had had a staff of hundreds to care for her every need and whim while she had recuperated from the birth and a nanny to help out when she and Jed needed to be away. On top of that it wasn't exactly easy to pop in for a visit at the White House the way it had been when she had lived less than an hour away from the farm. Now, like many grandparents, she saw her young grandchildren only on holidays and summer visits, so having time with them to care for them and nurture them was very special to her. She knew that Abbey didn't want to "burden" her with their care at her age, but for goodness sake she was only 73 years old, she still had a lot of productive years ahead of her and she wasn't going to let an over-protective albeit loving daughter stand in her way. 

"Mmmm...Mama..." Nicholas began to stir his thumb slipping into his mouth as his beautiful blue eyes began to flutter. 

"Hey, Nicky." Beth pushed the boy's straight blond hair back off his forehead. 

"Gammy?" 

"Yes, I'm here sweetheart. Time to wake up." 

"Donwanna." He rolled over curling up in the fetal position. 

"You have to wake up. Grampy is outside setting up for a game of croquet before supper and you have to make a phone call." 

"Who we call?" Aislinn sat up rubbing her eyes, her curls askew. She always woke up more easily than her brother. 

"Your mummy called while you were sleeping and she wants you and Nicky to give her and Daddy a call as soon as you wake up." 

Nicholas sat up at the mention of his parents. They were having a good time with their family, but Beth knew they missed their mother and father. "We call now?" 

"As soon as you get up and go potty. And while you talk to them, I'll get you both some juice." 

Nicholas grinned and gave his grandmother a big warm hug. Beth's heart swelled with love as she inhaled his little boy scent and watched the two tousled headed toddlers hit the floor dragging blankies and stuffed animals as they sleepily headed for the phone. Yes, it was nice indeed to have this time to love and care and get to know these two special little grandbabies. 


	12. Summer of Us, The

"The grill is all set. Steaks ready?" 

Abbey looked up from where she was slicing radishes to go in the tossed salad. "Right over there." She gestured to a plastic container on the edge of the counter that held the two thick seasoned ribeyes. "Don't forget to bring out the potatoes too." 

Jed grabbed the container holding the steaks along with the tinfoil wrapped potatoes that Abbey had cubed and drizzled with olive oil and rosemary to be served later with sour cream and chives, and headed back outside. 

With the salad tossed, Abbey covered it and set it in the refrigerator. She gave the simmering shrimp bisque on the stove a stir and then moved to set the table for an intimate dinner for two on the back porch. They would dine alfresco looking out at the ocean, only three steps up from the beach. On a whim she moved to the side of the house and picked a few pretty gerbera daisies to put in a small glass vase on the table. By the time Jed came out with the grilled steaks, she had romantic jazz music playing softly and a bottle of Merlot breathing on the table. He put the steaks down and poured them each a glass of wine, smiling as he handed Abbey hers. 

"What?" she asked. 

With her naturally wavy hair pulled back in a ponytail, her face devoid of make up so he could see the spray of pale freckles on her nose and her sun kissed slightly pink cheeks she looked as un-First Ladylike as he looked un-presidential. "I had almost forgotten what it was like to be normal. To just spend a normal quiet day with you doing things like drinking ice cream sodas and playing cards and now having dinner together alone on the porch, no stewards, no wait staff and no kids needing their food cut up for them. Sometimes it's easy to forget how much I enjoy just being with you. It's been a long time since we've been just been 'us'." 

Abbey nodded and sipped her wine. Jed was right, but she knew it was all an illusion. At the foot of the drive there was a barrage of Secret Service agents. Helicopters continually flew overhead and coast guard cutters were visibly anchored just off the coast. CJ, members of the Joint Chiefs, and Jed's National Security staff were holed up in a rented cottage next door, and after dinner she knew that he was going to have to have a quick meeting with them before they left for Ireland in the morning. They weren't really just Jed and Abbey and they wouldn't be again until Jed's presidency was over. 

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. I was afraid you might go a little stir crazy." 

"Not yet anyway. You've kept me busy." 

"But you're still itching for that meeting tonight." 

Jed shrugged. "I can't help it." 

"I know," she smiled. "You still haven't learned that the world isn't going to completely fall apart if you aren't available 24/7." 

"Are you trying to say that I'm superfluous." 

"No, I'm trying to say that you need to trust your team." 

"I do trust them." 

"Not completely," she smiled. 

"No," he smiled back, responding to her insight into his psyche, "not completely." 

"That makes you a good President." 

"Wait a minute, you just said that I need to trust my team." 

"I'm perverse that way." 

"Abbey, I've had too many glasses of wine to compete in mental gymnastics with you tonight." 

"Damn, and I'm so close to winning the all-around." 

"Abbey." 

"I meant that you need to trust your team to be able to keep things running smoothly in your absence. But that doesn't mean blind trust, Ronald Reagan trust. You need to keep on top of things as well." 

"So, you aren't pissed that I have to scoot out for that meeting tonight?" 

Abbey stood and walked around the table. He gave her a puzzled look as she stood before him, his eyes widening with surprise when she sat down in his lap her hands cupping his cheeks to gaze deeply into his eyes. 

"I'm not pissed. You're the President, Jed. I know that. You have duties and responsibilities and those have to come first. I know that right now I have to take what I can get from you and I appreciate that you've worked so hard to give me this time. I can share you for now." 

"For now, huh?" 

"Yup. In exactly two years and six months you will be all mine again." 

"Counting down, are you?" 

"Damn straight." She covered his lips with hers lightly kissing him, then murmured against his lips. "I don't like to share." 

**** 

CJ blinked to clear her eyes as she watched the President make his way down the walkway to the house where she was staying with the other staff and advisors. At least she thought it was the President. But the debonair man who had left Maine in a white tie and tails was not the same man who was now heading her way. This unshaven, shaggy haired man in the old khaki shorts, T-shirt, and deck shoes looked like an extra in a Jimmy Buffett video. 

"Sir?" She couldn't hide the questioning tone to her voice. 

"How ya doin', CJ?" 

"I'm fine, sir. How are you?" 

"Couldn't be better." 

"Yes, I can see that." Standing before her tanned and smiling, CJ couldn't remember the last time she'd seen her boss looking quite so relaxed. And, she had no doubt the First Lady had something to do with that 'cat that got the canary' grin that curved on his lips. 

"CJ, you're staring at me." 

"I know. Uh, this is a bit of a different look for you, sir." 

"Yeah, I'm on vacation." 

"Well, you do know the press will be in full force at the airport when we leave for Ireland tomorrow." 

"I'm well aware." 

"So you'll be clean shaven?" 

Jed rubbed a hand over his jaw. "You don't like it? Abbey thinks it's sexy. She thinks I look rugged." 

"I have no doubt that it's very masculine and appealing, sir, but..." 

"But what?" Jed was enjoying himself immensely. 

"But it's not presidential. People want their president to be dignified, not sexy." 

"That isn't always the case, CJ. I mean I was voted _People_ magazine's sexiest man alive in 1999 and I get lots of letters from women who find me–" 

"I know, I know, but that isn't the image we want to play UP. It's okay that you're good looking but you can't look..." 

"Yes?" 

"Well... like one of the castaways on _Lost_." 

"I don't know. I hear that's a pretty hot group." 

"Mr. President." 

"I'll take it under advisement. Now what did you need to talk to me about?" 

"Sir." CJ wasn't quite ready to move on yet. 

"I said, I'll take it under advisement." 

CJ took a deep breath, knowing instinctively that she'd pushed him as far as she could. She could only hope that he, or at least Abbey would come to their senses. 

"We've been working out the logistics for your visit to England. The queen's staff want to know if you and Mrs. Bartlet would prefer adjoining rooms at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle or if you'd rather the rooms be completely separate." 

"What?" Jed spat. 

CJ bit the inside of her cheek to keep her serious façade. She loved toying with the President this way. "Adjoining. You know, do you want bedrooms side by side that have a door to go between or would you prefer..." 

"I know what ADJOINING means, CJ. I meant what in the hell are they talking about? We won't be having adjoining rooms OR separate rooms. There will be ONE bedroom and ONE bed. Understood." 

"Absolutely, sir." CJ turned to allow him to go on to his NSA briefing, only laughing aloud when she was sure that he was out of earshot. 

**** 

It was an extremely sultry night; not cooling off at all the way it usually did once the sun went down in New England. By the time Abbey finished doing the dishes and cleaning up from their dinner, perspiration ran between her breasts and down her back. She took a relaxing cool bubble bath and changed into a simple embroidered sheer ivory chemise with spaghetti straps that crisscrossed in the back and sexy side slits. She slipped on the tiny little matching g-string knowing just how this was going to set Jed off. The outfit had been one of the "shower" gifts from her friends and she'd yet to have the chance to try many of them out. She took her book and a tall glass of iced tea and made her way barefoot out onto the porch where she was able to catch a hint of a sea breeze. She slipped her reading glasses on then stretched out on the wicker sofa to read and wait for Jed. 

The meeting had taken longer than Jed had planned, but it was still early enough that he hoped Abbey hadn't called it a night. When he didn't find her in the cottage he stepped out onto the back porch stopping in his tracks when he saw her sleeping on the sofa, _Cane River_ on the floor beside her, her glasses down at the tip of her nose. 

"Hot damn." His blood ran warm as he took in the sheer next to nothing nightie she had on that left NOTHING to the imagination. The combination of the sexy nightie and the serious tortoiseshell reading glasses was a look that always turned him on – _Victoria's Secret_ model meets Dr. Bartlet. As he approached where she lay, he noticed a large seagull feather on one of the stairs and bent to pick it up. 

"Aaabbey." He brushed the feather over her brow. Abbey's nose wrinkled but she didn't awaken. "Abigail." He ran the feather over her cheek. She lifted a hand sighing as she tried to brush him away, but she still didn't awaken. "Aaabbey...wake up sleeping beauty." He ran the feather over the bare skin of her chest then flipped it over and gently ran the stiff tip over her nipple. 

"Mmm...that's nice." She arched but didn't open her eyes. 

"You like that," he murmured against her ear and flicked the other nipple. 

"Mmm...But you better hurry, my husband will be back any minute." 

Affronted, Jed stopped what he was doing and sat back on his heels. Just whom was his wife dreaming about anyway? Then Abbey giggled and gave herself away. 

"You were awake the whole time." His eyes narrowed. 

"Just from when you touched my cheek down. You're an easy pick at the end of the day." Abbey sat up blinking owlishly at him in the light, waiting warily for his next move, which would generally be to tickle her. 

"You're too adorable right now for retaliation," he told her. "Besides, I have other plans." 

"Oh yeah. Am I included?" 

"You bet your cute little buns. Let's go." 

"Are you going to tell me what we're doing?" 

"We're going on a picnic." 

"I hate to tell you this, but it's dark out and we already ate supper." 

"Oh Abbey, Abbey, Abbey, oh ye of little imagination, that is so far beside the point. Now come on, help me pack it up. We're going to have a dessert picnic. We didn't get the chance to have dessert." 

Abbey followed him into the kitchen delighted by the spontaneity of it all. They never got to be spontaneous anymore. 

"And," he turned around to survey her in the skimpy little chemise that only made it half way down her thighs, "can I just tell you how pleased I am that you remembered how to dress for your playmate of a lover." 

Abbey winked at him. "Told ya I had it covered." 

He eyed the darker tips of her nipples and the triangle of her sexy g-string panties that were clearly visible through the sheer fabric. "Or not as the case may be. I want you to note that I am showing remarkable restraint by not jumping your bones right here, right now." 

Her lips twitched with amusement. "Duly noted. But you aren't going to show that restraint all night are you?" 

Jed liked the worried tone to her voice. He loved it when his wife had seduction on her mind. "With you parading around in that little thing? HELL NO." 

**** 

"It may take an entire vine to produce one glass of this precious liquid." Jed poured Abbey a glass of the Chateau D'Yquem dessert wine that he'd had delivered from the White House wine cellar. "It's barrel aged for three and a half years before bottling. But even then, you really shouldn't drink it for at least twenty years. This bottle here is as old as our marriage." 

Abbey gave a soft laugh. "I wonder what the vintners would think if they knew we were drinking it in plastic cups to accompany our toasted marshmallows." 

"Probably what the French always think – that we're boorish Americans." Jed pulled his stick out of the small campfire he had built near the dunes and held the browned marshmallow out to his wife who plucked it off with delight. 

"Deeelicious," she pronounced, "Crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside. Just the way I like it." She finished off the marshmallow then licked the sticky remnants off her fingertips. "And it goes perfectly with my thirty year old French wine." 

"Did anyone ever tell you that you're a smartass?" 

"Once or twice," she smirked. 

"More?" He held a marshmallow up. 

"Yes please." Abbey leaned forward and slipped a hand up under Jed's shirt stroking his warm back while he toasted her marshmallow. 

"That's nice," he sighed. 

Spurred on by the need to give him pleasure, she pressed a kiss into the back of his shoulder and continued to stroke him until her marshmallow was ready. 

"Oh," she groaned tapping her stomach when she was finished. "No more. I'm stuffed." 

Jed watched her climb to her feet and hold her hand out to him. "What?" He was busy munching on his own slightly burnt offering. 

"Let's go walk it off." She pulled him up to his feet and led him over the sand toward the ocean. The moonlight gave the sandy beach an almost silvery glow and the white foamy surf that lapped at the sand was clearly visible. The sea breeze had picked up and blew their hair back off their faces, molding Abbey's chemise to her body. They held hands as they walked along the water's edge – two lovers enjoying the music of the night, anticipating what lay ahead. But, when Jed felt her shiver, he stopped. 

"Are you cold?" he asked. 

"I'm a little chilled," she admitted crossing her arms over her chest. "The wind changed with the tide." 

Jed nodded and his hands moved to the hem of his T-shirt ready to take it off to give her. "No," she stopped him. "Let's just go back to the fire." 

Jed knew that silky tone to her voice very well. She was ready for more than holding hands. 

Once back at their blanket, Abbey stood over the fire warming up. Jed admired her profile. Her chemise rode up high over her shapely thigh as she bent so that he could see the tiny string that ran over the curve of her hip to hold her naughty panties on. He couldn't resist. He reached a hand out to caress that hip, his index finger sliding under the string. She turned to him with knowing smile. 

"Care to dance?" he asked. 

"I'd love to." 

Jed clicked the radio on and in the next instant they were dancing together under the stars to Aaron Neville's soulful and plaintive voice urging them to "Tell it Like It Is". 

> _If you want something to play with_  
>  Go and find yourself a toy   
> Baby my time is too expensive   
> And I'm not a little boy 
> 
> If you are serious   
> Don't play with my heart   
> It makes me furious   
> But if you want me to love you   
> Then a baby I will, girl you know that I will   
> Tell it like it is   
>    ( _Tell It Like It Is_ by George Davis and Lee Diamond)

As always, they fit together perfectly, as if God had intended that they would spend their lives in each other's arms. Abbey's head fit just under Jed's chin, her breath soft and erotic against the base of his throat. Jed's groin pressed perfectly into Abbey's pelvis where she could feel his growing arousal against her womb. 

"Mr. President," her voice was husky with her own heightened desire, "do you want to get into my pants?" 

"Oh, yes, ma'am. That is I would if you had any pants on I would." He shoved his hips harder against her so she could feel just how much he wanted her, his hands sliding up under her chemise to run over the bare curve of her rear. Abbey gave a silky laugh and started leading him into the shadows of the dunes where they would be safe from any prying Secret Service eyes, hidden by the high sea oats. 

"Wait, we're going to need this." Jed bent and grabbed their blanket then followed her into the dark. "We don't want to have any sand issues." 

"I knew there was a reason I married a Boy Scout." 

Jed laid the blanket out in a spot where they would be shielded by the tall sea grasses. He had asked Ron for a little added privacy this night but it never hurt to be discreet. He sat first then pulled her down to straddle a knee on each side of his hips. 

"You should be on top," he said, nuzzling into her neck. 

"Sand?" She lifted his chin gently touching her lips to his. 

"Mmm..." All rational thought fled Jed's mind as Abbey sat completely on his lap wrapping the most photographed legs in the world around his back. He groaned harshly as she settled in against his erection. She gave him a sexy smile as her hands slid under his shirt splaying over his warm chest, rubbing against the soft hair, squeezing his pecs and finally playing with his nipples while she rocked herself against the hardening bulge, confident in her sexual power over him. Jed, however, evened the playing field when his hands pushed up the fabric of her chemise high over her hips then slid beneath to close over the warm mounds of her breasts. Her fingers clamped down tightly on his shoulders as his thumb traced over her nipple making it harder with each tingling flick. She moved restlessly on his lap and suddenly Jed needed more. He lifted the chemise higher pulling it completely over her head. Seated where she was, her breasts were in the exact right location. He nuzzled into them, his whiskers both abrasive and tickling her. She pressed in for more and he didn't disappoint. She gasped as he flicked his tongue over her sensitive hardened peak at the same moment his hand slipped inside her panties fingering through the curls into the warm wet folds. His tongue continued to lave at her causing little jolts of electricity to run from her nipples to where his hand lay between her legs resting on the mound of soft springy curls, a pulsing rhythm building and growing stronger with each swipe of that tongue. And, when he finally pulled her aching nipple into his mouth and began to suckle her, she cried out and threaded her fingers through his hair holding him to her breast. He sucked at her nipple hard then took the distended tip between his teeth gently nipping her just as the finger between her thighs began to move over her clitoris. He circled over it, his pressure increasing with Abbey's increasingly loud whimpers of pleasure. He ached with the sweet torture of her grinding against him, of how good she felt under his fingertips, of how her nipple tasted rolling around in his mouth. He thanked God that she was as responsive as she was, for it was damn near killing him not to be inside her. 

Abbey was in sensory overload, oblivious to anything but the incredible pleasure of Jed's mouth on her breast and his fingers between her thighs, but she wanted more...she needed more. She wanted the hard appendage she was squirming against deep inside her. Instead, he slipped first one then two fingers into her sheath sending her right over the edge. He kept his hand cupped where it was feeling the spasms clenching his thrusting fingers as she gasped and cried out with her orgasm. 

"That...that was great, Jed..." She choked as she pressed her forehead into his. "But now it's OUR turn." She got back up onto her shaky knees and turned her attention to getting his pants unbuttoned listening to his sharp intake of breath as her hand brushed against what was now a rock hard bulge. 

"Poor guy," she soothed. "We should have taken you out before we got started." 

Carefully, she unzipped his pants then pushed Jed gently onto his back. He lifted his hips so she could pull his pants and boxers down over his thighs. His penis was jutting straight to the sky and in spite of the fact that Abbey had already been satisfied, she began to throb with the idea of taking him deeply within her. She reached a hand out to close over him stroking him gently, reverently until, just as her thumb moved over the moisture beading at his tip, Jed's hand clamped down on her wrist and removed it. He sat up and took himself in hand teasing Abbey with first his tip and then his full length rubbing himself against her swollen aching folds. It didn't take long for the feelings of need to start to tighten up within her again. She wanted him to fill her, pushing hard against her very core. She'd long since stopped wondering how this could be. How she could still feel such desire for this man after so many years. There was no need for analysis, it simply was, and she took great pleasure in the feelings he ignited within her and joy in the desire that he still had for her. 

"I want you inside me," she moaned, shifting herself against him in an effort to manipulate him into penetrating her. 

"Patience, sweetness," Jed groaned. 

"Please, Jed," she begged. "Oh, God. PLEASE!" 

Lord, how he loved driving her wild. Loved the way that he could make her come apart in his arms. 

Just when Abbey thought she couldn't stand one more teasing slide, she felt Jed wedge the tip of his penis into her opening. 

"Okay, babe." He pushed the hair back off her face cupping her soft cheeks in his palms. "You take it from here." 

Thank GOD. Abbey's first instinct was to impale herself on him with one downward slide of her hips. She knew that was what Jed expected. Instead, she decided to prolong the pleasure and give him a little taste of his own medicine. Still on her knees straddling him, she began to sink down on him, inch by agonizingly slow inch. Her breath came out in short little pants as she felt his thick hard length stretching and filling her. She watched Jed's jaw clench at the slow torture knowing he was fighting the urge to flip her onto her back and start pounding away. 

"I can't take you any deeper this way," she complained. 

"Sit on me," he said. "I'll help you." 

So with Jed's help she was able to get her legs wrapped back around his hips without disengaging and this way, sitting in his lap, she was able to take him all the way to his hilt, filled so completely she knew she couldn't take another inch. She stayed that way – arms and legs wrapped around his neck and hips, the firm pressure of his groin hard against her tender clitoris. Tears of exquisite pleasure filled her eyes. 

"I can't get enough of you, Abbey," Jed groaned, his fingers tightening on her rear holding her tightly to him while he ground himself up at her. "I can never get enough." 

Abbey began to squeeze him then, clenching his shaft with her vaginal muscles until they were both panting with need. 

"Abbey, baaaby, you're killing me here." 

"Not yet, but I will be. Part your legs a little more." Jed did as told and she leaned away from him, her head falling back so the moonlight spilled over her creamy rose tipped breasts like she was some sort of pagan goddess. Entranced by the sight, he watched her bite her bottom lip as the arch of her back shoved her even more firmly against him. One hand balanced her on his thigh and the other reached between his parted legs to gently tease and caress his tight damp balls. 

"Ahh...Abbey...Oh, damn, you're so good." Abbey smiled seductively rocking herself forward against him. In this position, Jed could see where they were joined, the shadowy curls of their groins pressed together making it impossible to see where she began and he left off. He reached a hand out sliding his finger through her wet cleft all the way down to where his slick shaft entered her body then back again. Abbey moaned as he found her sensitive bundle of nerves and her fingernails dug into his thigh. A few strokes was all it took. Her legs began to tighten and quiver, her sexy whimpers became more plaintive cries and then with a sob of his name, she came, her whole body squeezing and milking him. Jed held her firmly on his erection through her orgasm, his whole body on fire. She felt his hips giving sharp little thrusts against her, the need for friction consuming him. Breathlessly, her body still pulsing with aftershocks, she unwrapped her ankles from his back. 

"Abbey," Jed gasped. "Wait, not yet." 

"It's okay..." she breathed, "I know you aren't there yet." She got back on her knees with Jed still planted firmly inside her, then pushed his shoulders so that he lay back on the blanket. And then, with her legs spread wide over his hips, she laid flat on top of him her full breasts crushed into his chest, her lips playing over his collarbone. "Okay," she panted into his ear. "Take what you need, Jed. Take me, babe..." 

Jed groaned harshly and cupped her rear in his hands thrusting his hips up into her body with unrestrained enthusiasm, forcing her to take all of him again and again. Over and over, he pushed up into her warm wet depths, his hands firmly holding her place while he rocketed out of control. With a loud roar, he gave a powerful driving thrust and ejaculated forcefully inside her. Amazingly enough, through the haze of his own orgasm, he heard her own cry of yet another release. Exhausted, they lay together as one unable to do much more than try to catch their breath for a few minutes. Then Jed's fingers began to play in Abbey's hair. 

"God, what you do to me, woman," he sighed. 

"What I do to you?" She placed her elbows on his heaving sweaty chest and gazed down into his face with satiated soft green eyes. "I was the one going off like it was the Fourth of July." 

"Yeah, you were, weren't you," he grinned proudly. 

"Don't get too full of yourself. I'm a sensualist, remember. And this is a very sensual night." She looked up at the moon, felt the salt air on her bare skin. 

"Oh, so it was the night that made you come?" His grin widened. "Didn't have anything to do with these," he wiggled his fingers in front of her face, "or this?" He pushed his hips up into her. He was still semi hard. 

"Well, they might have had something to do with it." Relaxed and utterly content, feeling like a wet noodle, Abbey lay stretched out on Jed's body. His fingers were feather light on her back moving in gentle circles over the tattoo at the base of her spine – the Celtic knot that proclaimed the never-ending circles of their love. She reached up a lazy hand to stroke it over his rough-hewn jaw. 

"Are you terribly whisker burned?" he asked. 

"Oh probably a bit." Abbey felt the decided heat of a rash around her mouth and on the tender skin of her breasts. 

"CJ told me I have to shave." 

"Oh," Abbey looked down on him with a twinkle in her eye. "No more Mr. Studly." 

"Studly? You hadn't said anything about studly. Maybe I won't shave." 

"Jed, I'm teasing. Of course you have to shave." 

"Not if you think I'm studly like this." 

"Jed, I think you're studly whether your clean shaven or rough jawed." 

"You're just saying that now." 

"Of course I'm not. Remember, I'm the one that was against you growing a beard when you started teaching 'cause you wanted to look more like a professor." 

"I'll think about it." 

The air chilling their damp bodies, Abbey and Jed finally, reluctantly, disengaged. Abbey slipped her chemise back on and Jed threw on his boxers and T-shirt. Together they stretched back out on the blanket wrapping the sides up around them in the cocoon. Snuggled tightly together, hands still playing over each other's skin, they gazed up at the hundreds of sparkling stars in the dark night sky. In the distance, Ella Fitzgerald was singing about "Someone to Watch Over Me". And Abbey couldn't remember a more perfectly romantic night. 

"Do you remember the first time you ever came here?" she asked softly. 

"Of course I do. I was on my way to Arizona to the Navaho reservation. But, I couldn't leave without saying good-bye to you. My father refused to let me use his car." 

"So you borrowed your grandfather's." 

"Yes, I did. Two hours to Woods Hole then three hours on the ferry and then the drive out to 'Sconcet." 

"Poor baby." Abbey ran her fingers in patterns over his chest. "You were tired and hot and hungry." 

"Yes, I was." He lifted her hand to kiss the back of her fingers. "But it was worth it when I got here and saw you walking toward me on the beach wearing that tiny string bikini. My God, you were more of a '10' than Bo Derek ever thought of being." 

Abbey chuckled. "You walked right into the ocean in your shorts." 

"I was embarrassed. Seeing you in that suit. Kissing you. Man, you gave me a hard-on like I'd never experienced before. I didn't think your dad would appreciate seeing just how his little girl affected me." 

Abbey giggled. "I guess not. I don't think he would have been so inclined to spend the rest of the afternoon playing _Scrabble_ with you on the porch." 

"Probably not," he conceded. "And then, later that night, we walked the beach at dusk and made out like crazy in the dunes in the dark." 

"That was the first time I'd ever let a guy touch me under my bra." 

"And we came pretty close to losing our virginities there and then until your brother came across us and threatened to beat the crap out of me." 

"He was protecting his sister's virtue," she smiled. "You'd have done the same thing." 

"That's not what you were saying that night." 

"I was upset." 

"Royally pissed is more the way I'd put it. There you were trying to reclasp your bra while you yelled at Evan that he was going to have to face the fact that you were an adult and that your love life was none of his fucking business." 

"At least I gave it right back to him. You were trying to be such a gentleman, apologizing to him and telling him how much you loved and respected me all the while you were buttoning up your shirt, tucking it in and trying to hide the hickey I'd given you." 

"Good thing Evan wasn't around tonight." 

"Good thing," Abbey laughed in agreement. "Do you remember that T-shirt of yours that you couldn't find when it was time for you to leave?" 

"My authentic Bill Russell NBA Championship Celtics T-shirt?" 

"I should have known that you'd remember." She rolled her eyes. "I took it." 

"YOU stole my shirt? I loved that shirt." 

"No kidding." 

"You do know that what you did was a misdemeanor." 

"Oh hush. I took it from the laundry basket and I wore it to bed every night because I missed you so much." 

"Well...I guess that's all right then. I'm glad I didn't know you were back home sleeping in nothing but my T-shirt. I had a hard enough time with my Abbey fantasies." 

"Your Abbey fantasies?" 

"That's what I used to call them. I'd read your letters before bed, look at your picture and fantasize about you. I used to wake up every damn morning hard as a rock. It was one hell of a summer." 

"Well it's nice to know I can still affect you that way," she purred. "Wanna tell me about some of those fantasies?" 

"They were pretty tame. I was virgin after all. Just picturing you naked was enough to set me off." 

"Do you ever think it's strange that we still have the hots for each other?" 

"No. Jesus, Abbey, look at you! Half the men in the world have the hots for you and the other half swing the other way." 

Abbey laughed and tapped him gently on the shoulder. "You know what I mean, Jed." 

"Yeah, I do. And no, for the record I don't think it's strange. We've always had an amazingly strong sexual chemistry. We're both intense, very passionate people and one of our many passions just happens to be each other, so we bring that intensity and energy into the bedroom or wherever else we may choose to do the horizontal tango. Making love to you is just one more way to show you how much I love you, in a more ardent physical way. Why? Do you think it's strange?" 

"No. I think that the sexual feelings I have for you have grown over the years because it's so much more than just lusting for your body the way that it was in the very beginning." 

"But, you said I'm studly," he protested. "You don't lust over my body?" 

She shook her head with a sigh. "You know damn well that I lust over your body, but what I'm saying is that now it isn't the ONLY thing that I see when I look at you. Yes, I'm attracted to the way that you look, but I'm also attracted to the way you think, the way you make me laugh, the way that you treat me, the way you treat our children. I'm attracted to our whole history and making love to you is just another way to show you how attracted I am to you. And...well...it feels so damn good." 

"There is that," he laughed. "I was going to mention it but I thought you'd think I was being shallow." 

"Wanting to give a person you love pleasure is never shallow. I love that making me feel good is just as important to you as your own orgasm. I love that even when we're back at the White House on a quickie timetable, I never feel like we're just using each other for sex. You've never made feel like a body... a receptacle." 

Jed looked down at her with surprise. "You've never been just a body to me, Abbey. Who you are inside is just as important to me, more so, than who you are outside. I'm not going to say that I don't appreciate how you look because you know I'd be lying. You're beautiful and sexy, but, there are a lot of beautiful, sexy women in the world and I don't feel anything for them. It's you, Abbey...It's always been you." 

Abbey looked up at him; eyes brimming with unshed tears. A lot of years might have gone by since their first honeymoon. Jed had grown up. He'd become a father, a Nobel Laureate, a congressman, a governor, a president and yet the heart that beat in his chest was the same one that had beat in the earnest young college boy who had stolen her heart when she was only nineteen years old. He'd never changed who he was at his core and she was every bit as head over heels for him, more so, than she had been when they had first set out for their Irish honeymoon and the beginning of their lives together as man and wife. They would be returning to Ireland tomorrow, older, wiser, stronger, and if possible even more in love. 


	13. Summer of Us, The

"Jed," Abbey leaned into the mirror applying a little more make up to cover up the rash around her mouth and jaw, "you are shaving in there, aren't you?" 

"What?" Jed poked his head out from the bathroom. 

"I said you are shaving in there aren't..." She turned around and saw that he had not done as directed. "Jed, you need to shave that off." 

"I don't know. I kind of like it. I'm thinking about growing a beard." 

Abbey eyed him for a moment. "Okay." 

"Okay?" Jed's voice was tentative. He'd been yanking her chain. What the hell was she doing agreeing with him? 

"Be my guest." 

"But you were complaining about the whisker burn." 

"That's okay, if you don't kiss me I won't get whisker burn." 

"If I don't kiss you?" 

"Is there an echo in here?" 

"Abigail." 

"I'm simply telling you that you can leave the beard if you want but don't plan on kissing me. I'm not going to spend a half hour putting on cover up every day because you want to go lumberjack." 

"I wasn't going lumberjack." But, the fact that she was thinking that way held a certain appeal for him. "Beards can be distinguished." 

"Well, like I said, feel free." 

"But then I can't kiss you anymore." 

"Anymore or anyWHERE." Her eyes moved down suggestively to her cleavage and points lower. 

"That's blackmail," he protested. 

"And quite effective I'd say." 

Jed stood stubbornly. She was so damn sure of herself that he would love to call her bluff. But what if she wasn't bluffing? He wasn't about to cut off his nose to spite his face. She held his gaze, unwavering, unblinking until without a word he turned and went back into the bathroom. 

Abbey chuckled softly to herself as she leaned back into the mirror to apply her lipstick. She did know her man. 

**** 

CJ stood pacing on the tarmac outside Air Force One. The National Security advisors were already on board; everyone else was hanging back to plan for the formal state visit to Great Britain that would be occurring after the President and First Lady's vacation in Ireland. She looked at her watch impatiently then finally saw the motorcade winding its way toward the big plane. Realizing that she was holding her breath, CJ forced herself to relax. Just beyond the yellow rope lay throngs of reporters and TV cameras poised to document the departure of the President and First Lady. She watched the car stop and an agent open the back door closest to her. It was Abbey Bartlet looking summer fresh and unbelievable chic in a slim fitting sleeveless sheath style dress with 60's style geometric patterns in emerald, white and pale burnt orange to show homage to the flag of the Republic of Ireland. On anyone else those colors might have looked ridiculous but on Abbey they were the epitome of sophisticated style. The dress fell just above her knees and the ubiquitous white platform heeled sandals added several inches to her height. But, it was not the First Lady that worried CJ. She watched with narrowed eyes as the President circled around the car to crook his arm out for the First Lady to take and only then did she completely relax. Wearing beige slacks, a navy blue blazer and a dark blue tie with tiny emerald green shamrocks, the President looked casual but entirely presidential – and best of all was that beautiful, square, CLEAN SHAVEN jaw which made her smile. 

"You shaved," she said falling into step with the two. 

"Yeah." 

"What changed your mind?" 

"I decided that clean shaven was a little more suave." 

"Really, YOU decided." 

"Don't let him kid you, CJ," Abbey said. "I made him shave it off." 

"She didn't MAKE me. She BLACKMAILED me." 

"Really," CJ grinned. "May I ask what you used for blackmail, ma'am?" 

"I told him he couldn't kiss me again until the whiskers were gone." 

"And he caved?" 

"Like a house of cards," Abbey grinned. 

Jed scowled at the both of them. 

"Oh, baby, don't sulk, you clean up real nice." Abbey's hand slid to surreptitiously pat his rear just as they turned to face the press with smiles and waves with nobody but Abbey knowing why the President's smile was a little wider than usual. 

**** 

Abbey and Jed had been aboard Air Force One only a few minutes when there was a knock at the door. Abbey was on the phone and covered the receiver with her palm. "And so it begins," she said softly to Jed. 

"Entrez-vous," Jed called out. 

CJ stepped into the room. "Sir, there's been..." She stopped when she realized that Abbey was on the telephone and that it was a very important call indeed. 

"You tell Nicholas that Daddy bought that fire truck for both of you and that he and Gus need to share it with you." 

"He say girls can't BE firemens," Aislinn sniffed. 

"Of course girls can be firefighters. In fact, why don't you put your brother on the phone." 

CJ smiled at Jed looking forward to Abbey's feminist speech to her son. With a smile of his own, Jed put the conversation on speakerphone. 

"Hi, Mommy." Nicky's voice was hesitant. He knew making his sister cry was not a good thing. 

"Hello, Nicholas. Aislinn tells me there's a problem with the fire truck Daddy bought for both of you. You need to share it with your sister." 

"But firemen is MEN, Mumma. Gus said so. Azlinn is a GIRL." 

"People who fight fires are not called fire MEN anymore, my sexist little son. They are called fire FIGHTERS and they can be men or women, or in your case boys or girls." 

"Girls c'n fight fires?" 

"Yes girls, well, women, fight fires every day. In fact when we get back to Washington perhaps Daddy and I will invite a group of women fire fighters to the White House and you can meet them." Her eyes met Jed's and locked. CJ noted with amusement that he gave her a roll of the eyes but also a quick nod of agreement. 

"I wants to be a fire fighter when I get big." 

"I think it's great that you want to be a firefighter when you grow up. You have to be very brave to help people like that." 

"I am vewy bwave, Mumma. I didn't even cwy when Lizzie took off my Band-Aid and it pulled my scab off and bleeded everywhere." 

Abbey's smile turned tender. "I know you're very brave, sweetheart. Well, I have to go now. You make sure you're playing nicely with your sister and that you and Gus aren't leaving her out. I love you. Would you like to say good bye to Daddy?" 

"Yes! I talk to Daddy." 

Jed stepped closer to the speaker. "Hey, Nicky, my boy..." 

While Jed began chatting with his son, CJ moved closer to Abbey. "They really do start drawing the lines young, don't they?" she said. 

"You better believe it. Aislinn can be just as bad when Nicholas tries to play with her dolls ''cause boys aren't supposed to play with dollies'. You know we've tried pretty hard to be non gender specific and let them make their own choices about play things and colors, but with some exceptions of course, Aislinn's interests are definitely more feminine most of the time, while Nicky's are masculine." 

At the sound of a struggle, her attention moved to Jed who was still talking to their son. 

"Nicky, I wanna talk to Daddy." 

"You gots to wait, Azlin." 

"Nicky, it's my turn!" 

Jed bit back his smile at the sound of their scuffle but the voice that issued forth was that of a stern father. "Don't fight over the phone, kids. Someone is going to get hurt. Nicholas, let your sister talk." 

"I loves you, Daddy." Aislinn's little voice came over the speaker causing Jed's smile to grow even wider. 

"I love you too, sunshine." 

After chatting a bit about the sandcastle she was going to build, Jed began wrapping up the call. "Mommy and I will call you and Nicky tonight when we get to Ireland." 

"You take a pitcher with Mumma's new camwa if you sees any lepochauns." 

"Yes, if we see any leprechauns I'll make sure Mommy takes a picture for you with her new camera. Bye, sweetness, love you to bits." 

He hung up and joined in the laughter with the women, before turning to CJ. "What can we do for you, Claudia Jean?" 

"Well, we've had reports that your arrival in Ireland isn't going to be quite as quiet as you thought. Word leaked that you were landing in Galway instead of Shannon and from what we're hearing people were arriving all morning. We're into thousands." 

"Thousands? This isn't a political visit, CJ. It's a private holiday with a few public events in Dublin at the end of our second week." 

"I'm aware of that, sir. However, you're the first Catholic president since JFK and you're Irish. They love you. The mayor of Galway will be there to greet you and they're going to expect a little more than a wave. I had Toby fax over a few remarks for you to make when we arrive." 

"This isn't a state visit. In fact, this visit to Ireland is very personal for Abbey and I. What could Toby possibly know about that? I'll write my own remarks and they'll be from my heart." 

"You'll let me look them over first." It wasn't a question. 

"Don't trust me?" 

That wasn't the case at all. CJ always worried when the President spoke off the cuff but never once had he disgraced them or blundered. The man was a professional and he usually got it right. But, that didn't mean she didn't worry. 

"You'll let me look them over," she reiterated. 

Jed sighed. "Yes, Claudia Jean. I'll let you look them over." 

CJ nodded and left the room. 

"But that doesn't mean I won't change anything," he said to the closed door. 

"Aye, y're a stubborn bastard, Jed Bartlet," Abbey slipped into the Irish brogue of her grandmother Peg as she kicked off her shoes and moved to the couch. Jed winked at her and pulled out a pad of paper and pen. While he worked on his remarks, Abbey settled in on the couch with the pile of newspapers that had been laid out for them on the coffee table. She hadn't read any newspaper in two days and hadn't seen any coverage of their vow renewal ceremony. Now the headlines screamed out at her from every major newspaper in the country with pictures of her and Jed in their elegant finery standing in each others arms on top of a cliff with the sea stretching out wide behind them. But, it was more than the beauty of the scenery that caught Abbey's attention. The photographer had captured the moment and brought it to life – the love radiating between them, shining in their eyes and in their smiles. It was an intimate moment and yet one that now the entire world shared with them. There wasn't a person alive who could look at that picture and not see just how much the Bartlets loved one another. 

**** 

Jed peered out one of the windows of Air Force One as the plane came to a stop. CJ had not been exaggerating when she spoke of the excitement that his and Abbey's visit to Ireland was generating among the Irish. Thousands of people waving Irish and American flags and signs reading "Caid mile faile" – a hundred thousand welcomes, were held back by yards and yards of rope; and when he and Abbey stepped out onto the landing of the stairs, they erupted into a frenzy of cheers. As they proceeded down the stairs, a small band played "Hail to the Chief" which had become one of Jed's favorite songs, but then much to his absolute delight, they quickly broke into his favorite song bar none – the Notre Dame fight song, which they had learned just for his visit. Grinning broadly, Jed touched his fist to his heart and nodded to the band as he and Abbey were lead to where Niall Ó Brolcháin, the Mayor of Galway City, along with members of the city council, greeted them. Once the handshaking was over, the Mayor stepped up to the microphone. 

"Mr. President, Mrs. Bartlet, on behalf of the people of the Republic of Ireland, I welcome you to the ancient land of your ancestors. You are back, here in the west of Ireland, the wild, passionate land that was never completely tamed, never totally subjugated, where the Irish language is still spoken and tradition still burns strong, the land your people – the Flynns, the O'Connors and the mighty O'Neills of the north called home. We also welcome you as President of the United States, the great nation where many people of this land fled when tyranny ruled and starvation annihilated entire villages. Those people found a home in America where they became people of distinction and prosperity – writers and lawmen, politicians and professors and of course...Presidents. We are proud to consider you one of our own, Mr. President. Proud of your achievements, proud of your work for peace around the globe and we are happy that you have chosen Ireland to spend this special time with your beautiful wife, herself a lovely daughter of Eire. We hope you have a wonderful stay. Fad saoil duit. Bail o Dhia ort fein, ar do churam agus ar do chuid oibre. Long life to you and may God's blessing be on you, your family, and your work." 

"Thank you, Mr. Mayor." Jed nodded to the man then turned to address the crowd. "Forty-one years ago, John Fitzgerald Kennedy stood here before you, the first Catholic President of Irish descent. I was a boy of twelve at the time and I remember watching the visit on the news with my mother. As another Catholic of Irish decent, I felt such pride in the welcome my president was given by you, the people of Ireland. I am grateful to be standing here today with my wife, Abigail O'Neill Bartlet– " A huge cheer arose for Abbey and her maiden name. She acknowledged the crowd with a bright dimpled smile and a little wave "...embraced in the land from where our forefathers came. Ireland has a very dear place in both my heart and Abbey's. We spent our honeymoon here, and since we didn't get to see much of the countryside back then..." He paused with a grin as the crowd burst into laughter. "...We decided to come back and change that. 

"Today, I stand before you as a proud American, citizen of a country that opened its doors to millions of Irish immigrants, but also as a proud distant son of Ireland. I value the courage it took my ancestors and Abbey's to leave all that they knew and loved behind to forge a new life in a new land, and I'm proud of the courage of those that stayed behind, of their strength and perseverance. This land does not easily leave the hearts and minds of its people. Abbey and I both grew up with the stories of this beautiful misty island – the heroes, the legends, the fables – they are a part of me just as are the heroes, fables and legends of my own land. On behalf of my wife and myself, I offer you all a very heartfelt thank you for such a warm and rousing welcome. We are very happy to be here." 

Thousands of people erupted with cheers and frenzied waving of their flags. Abbey was approached by the mayor's wife and given gifts of handmade Irish lace and beautiful Aran sweaters for the twins, then with Ron's okay, Jed and Abbey moved toward the ropes that cordoned off the crowd and began shaking the hands of the enthusiastic people. 

"Please, please shake my hand," one woman pleaded from a couple rows back. Jed leaned in with a smile his eyes making firm contact with the person before him. 

"Nice to meet you." He shook the woman's hand with a nod and moved on. 

Just behind Jed, still shaking hands, Abbey watched the woman nearly collapse onto her friend. "Oh God in heaven, he TOUCHED me," she screamed. "...Jaysus! Jed Bartlet TOUCHED me!" And then she burst into tears. 

Abbey stood rooted in place for just a moment but she couldn't dwell on the woman for long because a young woman holding what looked like a year old baby was reaching out to shake her hand. 

"You're so beautiful," she gushed. "I just admire you so much. I own every magazine you've ever been in. And, this is Aislinn, just like your Aislinn." 

Abbey smiled at the pretty rosy cheeked Aislinn and took her tiny hand in hers. In that moment, she missed her own little Aislinn terribly. 

"She's beautiful," Abbey told the mother. She gave the baby's hand a kiss and then had to move on. 

It was a moving and yet somewhat uncomfortable moment for Abbey. She knew that she and Jed affected crowds this way both at home and abroad, yet it was still strange for her to feel that almost rock star frenzy that took over people at times like this. In her own mind, they were still just Jed and Abbey; and at times it made her nervous to have all that admiration and need aimed at them. 

But, not everyone was like that, and as Abbey moved beyond the more frenzied group of people, her heart was warmed. She couldn't count how many people had kindly and earnestly welcomed her "home". 

One elderly gentleman in a tweed jacket and bowler kissed the back of her hand and beamed up her. "Y're a lovely Irish rose, lass." 

"Well, thank you, that's very kind of you." Abbey felt herself blushing. 

"Not kind at all, simply statin' a fact. Mr. President, y're a lucky man." 

"And don't I know it." Jed placed an arm around Abbey's waist while she handed off yet another armful of flowers to an aide and then he led her toward the awaiting SUV. 

"That was quite a welcome," she said as she sat back against the seat. 

Jed nodded staring out the window at the thousands who still cheered, a lump of emotion hard in his throat. Abbey reached out to take his hand and when he turned to look at her, she saw the tears that burned in his eyes. 

"You never denied who you were, Jed. You never let him take that away from you." 

Jed nodded and squeezed her hand knowing that she understood what he was feeling. For his entire childhood, Jed had been told that his Irish side was worthless, temperamental and weak. Any trait his father despised in him, whether it was stubbornness or compassion was always blamed on his mother's side of the family. He had been forced to attend the protestant chapel at school; his Catholicism disdained by his father. However, through that experience he learned something very valuable, something that oppressors the world over should have been able to figure out over the years – that to deny someone, to completely take away something that is important to them, only serves to make them want it more. He wasn't sure that he would have held so fast and so strong to his religion if it hadn't been denied him during those months at school. John Bartlet would have been surprised and angered to note that he was one of the forces that had pushed his young son toward the thought of joining the priesthood. So, Josiah Bartlet, despite his very British name, understood with all his heart just what it meant to be Irish. 

**** 

"We're not staying in Galway?" Abbey watched the signs for the medieval city pass them by. 

"Evidently not." 

"Tight lipped, aren't you?" 

"You plan the ceremony. I plan the honeymoon. That was the deal, right?" 

"Yes." 

"Then lean back and enjoy the ride. Your Commander in Chief has it all taken care of it all." 

Abbey smiled, then settled in to watch the countryside pass her by as they moved from highway to narrow country roads. She was completely enchanted by the scenery. It was a terrible cliché, she knew, but she simply hadn't remembered just how green Ireland really was, all shades of green – mossy, lime, emerald, forest – they were all present. Lining the road were fields divided by low stone walls, sheep grazing on the hills and everywhere there were flowers. Wildflowers and fields of heather that gave way to forest as they turned off the secondary road onto an even more narrow rural road taking them even deeper into the countryside. How hard it must have been for her ancestors to leave this serene, beautiful place, and for what? The crowded, stinking alleys of immigrant Boston. 

"I can't imagine ever making the choice to leave this place," she sighed. 

"Most of the people who left didn't choose," Jed reminded her. "The choice was made for them. Leave or die." 

"You're right of course. But I can see why they gave wakes to people who left for America. A part of them must have been dying." 

It was no wonder her family had quickly moved from Boston on to the greener hills of Vermont, where low stone walls and the beauty of the lakes and rivers would have been a soothing reminder of home. Her husband had that same need, the hold their rolling dairy farm in New Hampshire held over him was very strong indeed. With their busy careers it would have been far easier to sell off parcels of their acreage, sell off the dairy farm or the orchard, but Jed could no more do that than he could cut off his right arm. The land was important to him, the farm a healing balm. His grandfather had known that, had known instinctively that he could trust Jed with his legacy which was why he had left the farm to the two of them. Jed had never let him down. Her husband might have the sharp mind of a genius but he had the sentimental heart of a poet. The heart of an Irishman. 

Still lost in thought, Abbey was surprised when after one more turn the motorcade came to a halt. 

"We're here." Jed hopped out of the car but to Abbey it looked like they were still in the middle of the woods. Ron opened the door for her but it was Jed who took her hand to help her out. He turned her by the shoulders to see what lay ahead of them where the forest opened up. Abbey's breath caught in her throat. Before them sat a small, picturesque, two hundred year old stone farmhouse right on the banks of a large dark blue lake. Lining the front of the cottage were huge bushes of fuchsia dangling the bright bellflowers down on them as they passed by. 

"Hello." A smiling, small, gray haired woman in a tweed skirt and flat heels stepped out of the house to greet Jed and Abbey. "Welcome to Lake House. I'm Maureen McConnell." 

"Jed Bartlet," Jed shook her hand, "and my wife Abbey." 

"So pleased to meet you, sir, ma'am." 

"I hope we haven't disturbed the serenity that you have here with all this," Abbey gestured to the many cars and emergency vehicles that were part of a presidential motorcade. 

"Don't be silly. Like I told y're husband when we talked on the phone, "having you staying here is going to keep me from ever having to waste money on advertising again. Now why don't ye both come in and sit a spell. You must be bone weary and hungry. I've got a nice hot meal waitin' for ye on the stove. I know that it's getting late so I thought just a bit of stew and some soda bread would be just the thing. But I'm sure ye'd like to freshen up a bit first." 

"That would be wonderful." Abbey thought about the hundreds of hands that she had shaken earlier. 

"I'll show ye' to y're room, then. I gave ye the best room in the house but if ye'd prefer another just give a shout. Y're man rented the whole house so y've your pick of rooms." Your man. Abbey liked the sound of that, more primal and earthy than "your husband". Up the staircase and down the hall, Jed and Abbey followed Maureen. She opened the door to a large suite and backed out discreetly. "I've left a bell on the table in the sitting room. Just give it a ring when y're ready to eat." 

"Thank you, Maureen." 

"Jed–"Abbey sighed as she stepped into the room. She didn't notice the lovely antique bed or the fireplace across from it. Her eyes were riveted to the view that lay before her through the glass. She moved slowly to the French doors opening them to step out onto a small deck style private balcony that practically hung over the lake. She leaned against the rail inhaling the fresh air and felt Jed's arms wrap around her from behind. Together they stared out over the glassy water that reflected the trees growing along its banks. On the far side of the lake, misty green hills rose from the water toward the sky. It was a perfectly magical setting. 

"Welcome to Ireland," Jed whispered into her ear. 

"Welcome indeed," Abbey turned into his arms tip toeing up to kiss him softly on the lips. "It's beautiful, Jed, just beautiful." 

"It sure is." Jed was no longer looking at the view, but at his wife's lovely face in the waning moments of the day. "Just beautiful." 


	14. Summer of Us, The

"Good mornin' to y'." Maureen watched the First Couple enter the small dining room where she had the table already set for their breakfast. Her surprise at seeing them both walk in wearing casual faded blue jeans and simple cable knit sweaters must have shown on her face because they both broke into smiles. 

"We thought we'd go for hike today," the President said. "But when we woke up the lake was a little foggy." 

"Just give it a spell. The sun will burn it off in no time. And, until then, I've made ye a nice hearty breakfast. While y' eat I'll make up a nice picnic basket for y'er lunch." 

"Don't bother with the basket," Abbey said. "We brought backpacks that will be easier to carry." 

"Abbey wants to cross the lake and climb the hill on the other side." 

"Ah 'fairy hill'." 

"That's its name? Fairy Hill?" 

"Not really, but that's how it's known. There are a lot of fairy hills in Ireland. Let me ask y', sir. Do you love y'er wife with a true and pure heart?" 

Jed frowned. "That's an odd question." 

"Answer the woman, Jed." Abbey nudged him with her elbow. 

"Yes, of course I love my wife with a true and pure heart." 

"Then y' should have no problem climbing fairy hill." 

"What do you mean problem?" 

"There's a legend attached to yon hill. A long, long time ago when druids still ruled the land, a man of the name Conaire brought his new wife Nuala up the hill seeking to find the perfect spot to build their home. They were newly married and deeply in love. But what they didn't know was that deep in the caves of the hill lived the fairy people. They weren't fairies as children read about them in nursery tales. Nay, these creatures were dark and elusive ruthlessly taking whatever they wanted. When the leader of the fairies got one look at the lovely flame haired Nuala, he decided that he wanted HER. He bode his time waiting until after Conaire and Nuala had made love beside a pretty little stream and then while they napped, replete with satisfaction, he stole Nuala and took her off into the caves. Heartbroken, for theirs was a true marriage of love, Conaire spent weeks scouring the hill for his bride. But, the fairy knew that Nuala's love was strong and he took the pining woman deep into the heart of the hill where her Conaire would never find her. He did not, however, count on the power of true love. One day while Conaire knelt over the stream that flows down into the lough below, he saw his beloved's beautiful tear streaked face in the water. Her mouth did not move. T'was her heart that spoke to him giving him directions to the entrance of the cave where she was kept. Conaire waited until it was dark when he could sneak into the recesses of the cave unnoticed. He walked into the bowels of the mountain for what seemed like hours until finally he came upon the sleeping fairy village. Quietly, he moved from hut to hut until finally in his heart he felt the weeping of his one true love. He peered in and there she lay – his beautiful wife, the sleeping fairy that had stolen her by her side. He snuck into the hut and silent as a church mouse he lifted his fair lady into his arms and made his way back through the dark cavernous tunnels from whence he came. 

"When the fairy woke and did not feel the warm mortal woman at his side, he shrieked with fury awakening the whole village. Torches flaming, they gave chase. They reached Conaire and Nuala just as they were to pass over the stream where Nuala had been kidnapped – the stream that would have led them to safety, for the fairies could not cross the water onto mortal land. T'was then that Conaire pushed Nuala behind him and turned to face the angry group. You see, he had some magic of his own on his side. Conaire was descended from the great druid king Amargein and he called upon those inherited powers to weaken the fairies. With a fierce fire in his eyes and anger burning in his soul, he placed a spell on the hill making it forever impossible for the fairies to ever steal a woman from a man again, provided that the man loved her with a true and pure heart." 

Gripped by the story, Abbey leaned forward. "Did Conaire and Nuala escape?" 

"Aye, they did lass. And the spell holds to this day. Over the centuries it's been told that many women on that hill have disappeared – there one moment, gone the next – but others who have never noticed a moment's disturbance. It's all in the heart. If y' love each other truly, purely then y'll have no problems a'tall." 

"So, what do you say, do we chance it?" Abbey grinned at Jed. 

"I think we're safe." 

"You better hope so. It might be a little dicey for CJ to have to explain to the press that I was stolen by fairies because your love for me was not true." 

Jed laughed. "I promise you, Abigail, I will never let the fairies take you away." 

"Good," Abbey shuddered. "'Cause they sounded really creepy." 

"Maybe you should warn the Secret Service to keep their eye out for skulking fairies while we're on the hike," Jed teased. 

"Maybe I will," Abbey said haughtily. "After all I shouldn't have all my eggs in one basket." 

Jed tipped her chin up with one finger to look into her eyes with a tender smile. "Do ye really not trust my love, lass?" he slipped into the brogue. 

Abbey tiptoed up to kiss him softly on the lips, her mind going back in time two years earlier when he had entered Harmony Point like an avenging angel taking her out of the clutches of Marcus Hughes and being stabbed in the process. "Aye, your love is pure, Jed. Of that I'm sure." 

"I hope you're hungry," Maureen came back into the room with a huge tray of food – platters of eggs, thick sausages, potato pancakes and fresh bread hot from the oven. 

"All I can say is, thank God we're walking this off." Abbey slathered fresh strawberry preserves on a thick piece of bread and took a bite, her eyes closing with a sound usually reserved for lovemaking. 

Stabbing at a couple of fat sausages with his fork, Jed smiled at his wife. "Good?" 

"Worth every carb I'm going to have to work off." 

"I know ways we can work it off." Jed reached out with his foot; the desired effect not quite what he'd planned when his hiking boot came into contact with her shin. 

"Ow," she frowned. "You kicked me." 

"I was trying to play footsies." 

"Your technique leaves much to be desired." 

"We'll see if you still feel the same later." 

"Really?" She lifted a teasing brow. "And what makes you think you'll be getting any liberties in that arena?" 

"Call it a premonition, if you like." 

"Oh really, now you've got the second sight?" 

"We'll see later, won't we?" 

"I guess we will." 

**** 

Full from their breakfast, loaded with energy, Jed and Abbey set out through the spruce forest along the edge of the lake, or lough as it was known in Ireland. Lough Corrib was the largest lake in the country, but the inlet of the lake where they were staying would only require a few miles of paddling to cross. After about a half-mile hike, they found the spot where Maureen had said they would find the group of turned over canoes and rowboats used by visitors to the inn mainly for fishing. After debating the merits of the sturdier rowboat over the more lightweight quicker canoe, they finally chose a canoe. 

"Get in before I push it out," Jed said. "I'll take the stern." 

"You haven't found your walking stick yet," she reminded him. "Remember, Maureen said there aren't any trees on the other side of the lake." 

Jed cast a gaze across the lake at the rounded hill before them. "Abbey," he scoffed. "That's hardly Mt. Lafayette over there. I think I can climb 'fairy hill' without a walking stick." 

Abbey stood arms crossed over her waist not budging. 

"Come on, let's go," he urged her. 

"I'm not going anywhere until you get a walking stick. I think Maureen knows a hell of a lot more about the terrain around here than you." 

"Oh for heaven's sake." He traipsed off into the brush and grabbed the first halfway decent branch that he saw. "I have a damn stick. Now will you please get that luscious little ass of yours in the canoe." 

"With pleasure." She flashed him a triumphant smile, sashayed her sexy little jean-clad butt at him and climbed into the stern. Together they paddled across the lake taken in by the beauty of their surroundings. The sun had indeed burned off the fog but it was hardly "hot" in terms of an American summer – the average temperature only in the 60's. However, after about three miles of paddling, they were hot and sweaty under their sweaters. After pulling the canoe up high onto the grassy knoll, Abbey turned to Jed. 

"Want to go for a dip and cool off before we hike the hill?" 

"We didn't bring our suits." 

"I don't know about you but I've kind of missed skinny dipping." 

"Oh really." Jed's interest was piqued. He and Abbey used to go skinny dipping all the time back home at the pond. "You think it's safe?" 

"You did say the Secret Service isn't allowing anyone within a ten mile radius of this place, so who's going to see us? Maureen's too far across the lake. Just ask the agents to turn the other way for a little bit." 

Sweat pouring down his back and eager to do as Abbey bid, Jed approached the agents that were milling about the area. Some were already at the top of the hill scanning for threats while others remained across the lake. By the time he returned, Abbey had already taken off her boots and was working on her pants. Quickly they stripped down to their bare skin and, eager to hide their naked bodies from any peeping agents, they quickly raced into the lake both shrieking as the icy water hit their hot skin. 

"Oh, Christ," Jed gasped. "I think I just froze my balls off." 

Abbey reached a hand out to cup him giving him a quick but thorough examination. "Nope, they're still there but you've got some major shrinkage going on." 

"Tell me about it. You, on the other hand, do not have that problem." He reached out a finger to slide over her pebble hard nipple. 

"Don't touch." She grabbed his wrist. "They hurt too much for you to touch." 

He smiled as he watched her cross her arms over her breasts in an effort to warm her painfully hard nipples. This was hardly the balmy water of the pond back home that seemed to sensuously slide over their nude forms. Still, living in northern New England, they were used to frigid lake and ocean water and continued to swim for a little while before making their way back to shore. Abbey hung back for a moment watching Jed stride from the water, unconcerned with his nudity. Her eyes followed his broad tanned back down to the paler skin that covered his fine tight butt. It was a lovely view indeed. 

Jed went right for his towel and pile of clothes, but when he turned around, he saw that Abbey had paused still up to her calves at the very edge of the lake. She was ringing water from her long wet hair, the rivulets running over the soft mounds of her rose tipped breasts, down her belly catching in the copper curls at the apex of her thighs as if she were some mystical wood nymph. He knew damn well that if he hadn't been completely numb from the cold, his lower extremities would be responding in a way that just might postpone their hike. The Secret Service agent who had turned when he heard the couple leaving the water did not have the numbing problem the President did and after viewing the First Lady standing at the water's edge, her incredible body clad only in the golden glow of sunshine, HE felt the need to jump in the lake himself to cool off. 

Oblivious to Jed's perusal, Abbey didn't notice him until he set out to join her. A lazy sensual smile touched her lips as she watched him move toward her oozing masculine animal magnetism. He was still barefoot wearing only his jeans which were unbuttoned at the waist and hanging low on his hips inviting her eyes to follow the line of hair that ran like an arrow into his boxer briefs. His tawny hair was damp and shaggy, water still beading on the hair that covered his broad chest and his blue eyes danced with mischief. So intent was she on soaking in his appeal she didn't notice when he lifted her camera and snapped her picture. 

"Jed!" She quickly came out of the water and grabbed for him. When her first swipe yielded nothing but laughter from him, she reached for the towel she had brought in her backpack and tied it around her torso. 

"Jed, come on, you can't be taking nude pictures of me. Delete it please." 

"I will not. You said you wanted to chronicle our trip here." 

"Yes, the rivers and ruins, the cliffs and the sea, not my boobs." 

"Your boobs are far more interesting as far as I'm concerned." 

"Jed..." 

"Nobody is going to see it, Abbey. It's not like I have to take this down to the local camera store to have it developed. We can do it right on our own computer." 

Abbey thought for a moment. He was right. Nobody would have to see it. 

"Let me see how it came out." She reached for the camera but he held it out of her reach. 

"Promise me you won't delete it." 

"We'll see. Depends on how good or bad it is. But, I won't delete it without telling you." 

Abbey accepted the camera and under Jed's watchful eye she clicked on the picture. It was actually a very good photo considering how quickly he had taken it. He'd caught her at the precise moment she was appreciating his physique and the effect was very sensual. 

"You can keep it." 

"I thought so," Jed laughed. Abbey was not a vain woman; she was very feminine and enjoyed taking the time to make herself look good but she did not obsess about her looks. However, he also knew that she was rightfully proud of the supple lithe body she worked so hard to keep in shape over the years, certainly an even more difficult task after carrying six children. But the result was a body a woman in her 20's would kill for. 

"Jed, are you going to look at that picture all day like a hormonal fifteen year old or are you going to finish getting dressed?" 

Jed grinned at her and tucked the camera back into her backpack before he finished dressing. Once they were ready to be on their way again, Abbey realized just why Maureen had wanted them to find walking sticks. The land on this side of the lake between the water and the hill was bogland. It was wet and difficult walking, their feet often sticking in mucky areas and slipping on tussocks. The walking sticks helped maintain their balance and allowed them to be able to check out the wetter areas. But despite the difficulty in walking, the bog itself, dotted with white tufts of bog cotton amid the golden, pale green and brown waving grasses, was lovely in a desolate kind of way. However, there was nothing desolate about the emerald green hill that rose ahead of them covered in heather and wildflowers with a picture postcard beauty that made one simply have to stop and admire. They paused at the foot of the hill to take pictures where a pretty little stream flowed to empty into the lough. 

"Do you want to take a break here before we climb the hill?" Abbey asked. She was far more used to hiking than Jed was and even her legs were tired from walking over the bog land. 

"Are you sure? I bet this is the stream where Nuala was stolen by the fairies. One side of the stream was safe, the other wasn't. We don't know which side is safe." 

"If your love is as you say, I should be safe on either side." Abbey took out a large thermos of hot coffee from her backpack. "But, you know there's something that bugs me about that story." 

"What?" 

"Well, of course, Conaire was brave and fearless but in the end he was a typical male." 

"In what way?" Jed took the plastic mug she handed to him. 

"That spell that he left on this hill. Instead of just damning the fairies from ever being able to steal a woman again he put that little addendum on there 'provided the man loved her with a true and pure heart'. So, it's okay if they steal her if the man doesn't love her? It's good-bye and good riddance. What the hell is that all about?" 

"I hadn't thought about that," Jed chuckled. 

"Of course you didn't. You weren't the one who had to worry about being stolen away into the night if you weren't loved enough." 

"You do realize that you are debating the actions of a fictional person, don't you?" 

"Conaire may be fictional but you can't argue that that isn't the way the world worked and some cases still works. If the lord of the manor tired of his lady, it was nothing for him to put her away in a tower and take up with his mistresses and serving wenches, but what if the lady tired of her man? She had no recourse." 

"She might not have been able to banish him to the tower but men weren't the only ones to have affairs, my darlin'." 

"Yes, but a man could spread his seed far and wide and fill the countryside with his bastards and nobody blinked an eye. If a woman got caught that way, she better damn well hope that she could pass the baby off as her husband's and not her lover's. If not, it was out on the street for her...if she was lucky." 

"I can't disagree with you that world has been tipped in the favor of men for centuries." 

"Tipped?" Abbey's eyes widened. "The heroes in the history books are men who went off to conquer and wage wars but what of the women they left behind? The ones who were raped and pillaged and kidnapped as payback for..." Abbey stopped at the stricken look on Jed's face "...Oh, God, Jed, I'm sorry...I didn't mean..." 

Jed shook his head. "It's okay, Abbey, you're right." 

"No, really, I wasn't talking about my kidnapping." 

"It's okay. Like I said, you're right. Most people in the free world did think I was a hero for having Shareef assassinated. But, the retribution that you paid for my war on terrorism was unfair and unjust and, more than anything, inhuman." 

Abbey crawled up into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I was talking about history, Jed, not us. You did what you had to do; you did what was right for our country, for the world. It's behind us now." She touched her lips to his kissing him tenderly. "We moved on,. We had to move on. Now, we have a hill to climb so no more dawdling. It's time to get your ass in gear, Bartlet." 

Jed smiled, a spark of humor bringing him back from the edge of gloom. He tossed the dregs of his coffee into the grass and got up to his feet ready to follow his wife up the hill. 

The hike up the hill was far easier than walking through the bogland had been and they took it slow, pausing to enjoy the views and to take pictures. Once at the top, they were rewarded with sweeping vistas on both sides of the hill. On one side there were people harvesting peat in the valley below, the land dotted with tiny cottages and low stone walls. On the other side, the side that they had climbed, lay the large dark blue pool that was Lough Corrib rimmed on the far side by a small dark green spruce forest where their bed and breakfast sat nestled at the edge of the lake. Abbey lay her head on Jed's shoulder. 

"Breathtaking, isn't it?" 

Jed nodded. "Like stepping back in time." 

They decided to picnic right there at the top of the hill and were only halfway through their late lunch when soft gray clouds began to cover what had been blue sky just moments before. 

"What do you think?" Jed turned to Abbey. 

"I think we better head back before we get rained on. We still have to get down the hill, cross the bog and paddle three miles across the lake. Jed agreed and they quickly packed and began their descent, which thankfully was much quicker than it had been to climb the hill. By the time they hit the bogland, the sky had darkened even further and an annoying cold drizzle had begun. 

"I'd forgotten how quickly a sunny day can turn to rain in Ireland and England," Abbey said with a shiver as they prepared to push the canoe into the lake. The drizzle had penetrated her warm sweater leaving her sodden and cold and her wet jeans clung to her thighs uncomfortably. Jed, she could see, was just as miserable and she hoped the rowing of the canoe would warm them. The luck of the Irish was not on their side this time, however. Halfway across the lake the heavens opened with a steady driving rain that had them soaked to the skin and shivering uncontrollably by the time they got back to the inn. Dripping wet and freezing they raced right up to their bedroom without even seeing Maureen. Laughing and gasping, they pulled off their heavy sodden clothing and wrapping a towel about his waist, Jed immediately went to the fireplace to light the peat Maureen had laid for them. Abbey watched him rearrange the turf and gave a soft sound of frustration. 

"Don't fool around, Jed. Just do it." 

Jed turned to see her standing in her cold wet bra and panties. "If I had a dime for every time you've made that demand..." 

"Jed, NOW." 

"Yup, heard that one too." 

Abbey shook her head and peeled off her underwear. She watched the fire ignite, the peat snapping and crackling, watched the flames cast shadows on Jed's bare torso. There was something elemental and primal in the moment, her man taking care of her comfort. 

"Now." Jed stood and turned to see Abbey rubbing a towel over her nude wet body, her mossy green eyes focused not on what she was doing, but on him. "What was that demand?" he asked stepping closer to her, "Don't fool around, Jed. Just do it." He grabbed her by the waist and, taking her completely by surprise, he hooked a leg behind hers knocking her off balance and causing them both to fall back hard onto the bed. She heard a crack and a strange creak. 

"Jed?" 

"What was it? Jed, NOW." 

Abbey shivered and this time it had nothing to do with the cold. Jed pressed her back onto the bed, his lips nuzzling into the base of her neck. He felt her tugging at his towel, tossing it aside when she got him free, happy that she was as eager to warm up this way as he was. He was even happier when her soft warm hand curled around his penis. He had only been semi aroused when she took him in hand, still more soft than not, but after a few tantalizing strokes, he felt himself warming up, felt all the blood rush from his body to that one aching appendage and the sweet satisfaction of an erection stretching and swelling in his wife's hand. Abbey felt it as well. While it was always exciting to watch her husband come to her fully erect, it gave her a sensual feeling of power to feel him pulse and swell and grow longer and harder in her hand. 

"No problem with shrinkage now," she sighed, her body throbbing with the need to take him within. 

Reluctantly, Jed took her hand from his shaft and lifted both of them up over her head to close her fingers around the bedrails. His lips then trailed over the swell of her breast pausing on his way south to nibble at her flat belly, the tip of his tongue slipping into her naval causing her fingers to tighten on the bed spindles. Abbey was lost in the sensation of Jed's lips roaming her belly, her entire being focused on the anticipation of what she knew would be his next move. A long sexy sigh escaped her lips as she felt Jed's breath warm against the curls that covered her sex. He nuzzled into her, rubbing his jaw against the soft rise of her mound, and then he was parting her with his fingertips; his tongue tracing over the soft sensitive flesh between her thighs and she was arching into his mouth, writhing against him. 

"Don't fool around, Jed," she gasped. "Just DO it." 

"You're not ready." 

"The drawer...in the nightstand." 

Jed reached an arm out fumbling in the drawer until he found the desired bottle. 

"Warming agent?" 

"I bought it...for when I give you...a massage," she was panting softly as Jed dribbled the oil onto her cleft, his fingertips rubbing it around and inside the entrance to her body before liberally coating himself with it. She could already feel the heat of it warming her from within. And then, there was another heat, this one thick and hard and full. Jed's entrance was smooth, slick, and demanding. Abbey kept hold of the spindles as he began to rock within her. The bedsprings squeaked in protest of the energetic movement and the headboard that Abbey was gripping onto so fiercely banged against the wall in time with Jed's every thrust. Abbey didn't care. She didn't care about anything but the feel of Jed's body moving deeply and fiercely within her, pleasure warring with pain. He was riding her hard, his fingers sliding underneath her to dig into her rear as he drove himself into her again and again and still her own hips rose to take him deeper and quicken the friction demanding even more from him. 

The abandon with which she writhed against him, the way her head was rolling back and forth on the pillow and the sound of her gasping cries of pleasure spurred Jed on, his hips moving like pistons as if he were trying to shove the bed right through the wall. The bedsprings creaked faster and faster, the headboard banging loudly and rapidly against the wall. Male grunts and feminine whimpers filled the room until it all reached an amazing crescendo and with agonized cries of each other's names, they climaxed together in a hip pumping frenzy. They were both still in the throes of their orgasms when much to their surprise the bed protested its rough treatment by crashing to the floor with a loud bang. 

"What the fuck?" Jed was panting, sweating as he looked from side to side still not quite sure what was going on. 

Lost in the sensual haze of their shattering lovemaking, it took Abbey a moment to realize what had happened. When she did, she pushed Jed gently from her body and sat up against the headboard. "Oh, my God. Jed, we broke the bed." 

"We did, didn't we." Jed was still breathing heavy from the exertion of their coupling and he couldn't help the proud little smile that curved on his lips. 

"This isn't funny," Abbey admonished him. "It's an antique bed. I don't think Maureen will be very amused." 

"So, we'll offer to replace it. We can..." 

"Sir, ma'am." There was a rap on the door. In his room at the end of the hall, Ron Butterfield couldn't help but hear how the President and First Lady had decided to warm up together. He'd tried to tune out the sounds of enthusiastic lovemaking but he couldn't let it go when he heard the loud crash. 

"Yeah, Ron?" Jed called out. 

"Just checking to make sure that you and Mrs. Bartlet are okay." 

"We're fine," he assured him, "but the bed was a casualty." 

"Don't tell him that," Abbey elbowed him in the ribs and he gave a loud grunt. 

"Sir? Are you sure you're all right." 

"I'm fine, Ron. My wife just took exception to me telling you that we broke the bed." 

Abbey shook her head with a roll of her eyes and slid out of said bed to head for the bathroom. She was in the shower rinsing her hair when Jed stepped in to join her. 

"You're not really pissed at me, are you?" He slipped his arms around her from behind and Abbey felt him rest his chin on top of her head. She smiled in spite of herself. 

"No, I'm not pissed at you," she sighed. "I should have known that you'd take pride in something like that." 

"What can I say? Even without my unshaven jaw, I'm still quite the stud." 

Abbey turned in his arms, her smile turning tender as she traced her fingers over his cheekbone. "My stud." 

**** 

Having changed into casual slacks and sweaters and feeling infinitely better than when they had entered the B&B soaking wet and freezing in their heavy wet clothing, Abbey and Jed entered the sitting room where Maureen was setting a table in front of the fireplace for them. 

"Ah, here you are then. You must have been froze to the bone getting caught in that rainstorm." 

"We were pretty soaked," Abbey said. 

"Well, let me pour ye a nice drink." She didn't wait to hear what they might want, simply pouring them each a glass of amber liquid. 

"Irish whiskey, straight up." She handed them the glasses. "That ought to warm ye blood." 

"Thank you, Maureen." Abbey took a sip of the fiery alcohol for fortitude, then turned to their landlady. "There's, uh, something that we need to tell you. This afternoon, when we got back from our hike, well, we...we broke the bed in our bedroom." 

Maureen had to bite back the grin that twitched at her lips. "I won't be askin' how ye did that." The blush that touched the First Lady's cheeks and the twinkle in the President's eyes would have given it away even if she hadn't heard all that banging and squeaking going on earlier. "Don't ye give it another worry. I'll have Declan – he's my brother and my handyman around here – take a look at it in the morning. Probably just needs some new slats. For tonight I'll put ye in another room." 

Jed waved off the offer. "That's all right, we'll be fine on the mattress on the floor." 

"But sir, I've plenty of rooms to put ye in." 

"Don't worry about it. It's fine. We like to wake up to our view of the lake." 

"Well, if y'er sure." Maureen still had a frown. She didn't like the idea of the President of the United States sleeping on a mattress on the floor. 

"I am." 

"Well, ye must be hungry. Have a seat and I'll see to your supper." 

Both Abbey and Jed were starving since the rain had interrupted their lunch. And, between the hiking and the lovemaking, they'd worked off quite a few calories. 

"So, what was all that about?" Abbey took a sip of her drink enjoying the liquid fire that ran through her veins with each sip. 

"All what?" 

"All that talk about 'we'll be fine with a mattress on the floor'. Since when do you play martyr?" 

"I wasn't playing martyr. We will be fine. No more creaking bedsprings or banging headboards for tonight." 

"Lord almighty, I should have known," she sighed. "Always the practical one, aren't you?" 

"I'm always thinking, cupcake. Always thinking." 

Maureen returned with steaming bowls of minestrone soup thick with beans, pasta and sausage and a wicker basket filled with warm fresh homemade rolls, crispy on the outside, flaky on the inside. It was delicious and hearty and just the thing for a cold wet night. And, when they finished their soup, she returned with a golden brown roasted chicken and something that looked like a potato dish. 

"That smells delicious." Abbey eyed the dish with interest. "What is it?" 

"It's colcannon. Potatoes cooked with cabbage, onions, cream and butter and I sprinkled some bacon on the top." 

"Bacon, sausage, and chicken in one meal." Jed rubbed his hands together with gusto. "I'm not usually spoiled this way." 

"My husband is a meat and potatoes kind of guy, as you can see," Abbey said diplomatically. Maureen nodded with approval. 

"Well, I'll leave ye to y'er meal. Just ring the bell if you've a need for anything else." 

When she had safely left the room, Abbey leaned forward. "I do not spoil you this way, Josiah dear, because I don't happen to relish the idea of you undergoing open heart surgery to clean out your clogged arteries." 

"My ticker's in great shape." He tapped his chest. 

"For the moment, and thank God, but that's because I make sure that you eat balanced meals." 

"Well, when in Rome." Jed took a big bite of the colcannon, closing his eyes with delight. 

Smiling, Abbey took a bite herself, savoring the rich flavor. When in Rome indeed. "So, tell me, what are the plans for tomorrow?" 

"What did you tell me you wanted to do in Galway?" 

Abbey sipped from her glass of Perrier, eyeing him thoughtfully. "I said I hoped we'd have time to do some shopping." 

"There you go. Your wish is my command. Tomorrow, we are going into Galway for shopping. Why are you looking at me like that?" 

"Because that was far too easy to get out of you. You have something up your sleeve." 

Jed lifted his sleeve exposing his forearm. "Nope, sorry. Nothing there." 

"Jed–" 

He grinned. "Well, since you've been a good girl today...a VERY good girl..." His hand reached out to take hers, turning it over so he could trace the pad of his thumb over the soft skin at her pulsepoint, smiling as he felt it quicken, "I will tell you that I do have a couple of surprises on the agenda." 

"Care to give me a hint?" Abbey's voice was husky now, her soft green eyes flashing with sparks of desire. 

"Nope." He lifted her hand, kissing the spot he had been tracing with his thumb. "You'll just have to wait and see." 


	15. Summer of Us, The

Standing in the midst of the socio-political section of a bookstore, Jed glanced down at his watch with surprise. Three hours? No wonder he was getting hungry. He couldn't remember the last time that he'd been able to browse anywhere for three full hours. However, the owners of Kenny's bookstore had kindly closed their doors to business for the morning so the President and First Lady could wander and peruse to their hearts content. The bookstore – now a famous landmark – was known not only for contemporary books, but more for the used, hard to find, rare books they carried. Jed had spent a full hour alone looking over antiquarian maps, finally choosing one from the early 1700's marked completely in Irish to add to his collection. With his passing knowledge of the Gaelic languages, it was not difficult for him to follow. 

As much as he was enjoying himself, however, his stomach won out against need to examine more tomes. He laid the book he'd been leafing through about the Easter Rising on top of _Emigrants and Exiles the Irish Exodus to North America_ , which in turn lay in a box he had already filled with books on Irish history and prehistory, politics, and the Catholic Church in Ireland. He turned to see one of the clerks standing at the end of the aisle waiting to assist him in his search. 

"I'll be taking all these." He pointed to the box. 

"Yes, sir." The young man had already taken a box filled with Irish literature, poetry and plays – many of them coveted first editions – to the counter and now reached for this box. 

"Do you happen to know where my wife is?" Jed took off his glasses and rubbed at his weary eyes. 

"Last time I saw she was on the second floor." 

"Thanks." Jed set out up the winding staircase to look for Abbey, pausing every so often to enjoy the oil paintings created by local artists that lined the walls along the way. He found her tucked into a corner in an overstuffed chair one leg crossed over the other, her reading glasses resting on the tip of her nose while she browsed through a book. 

Intellectually sexy. It was a look that made his blood to run heavy, maybe because he was as attracted to her brains as he was to her body. On one side of her lay a large pile of books, on the other a cup of tea on a saucer. 

"I see you've found a few books," he teased. 

Abbey glanced up with a smile that put a dimple in her cheek, a wrinkle at the bridge of her nose and a sparkle in her eye – a smile that to this day could still cause his heart to melt. "And how many have you found?" She tossed back at him. 

"Oh, just a few." 

"I'm sure." She knew her husband too well to believe that. There was nothing either of them enjoyed more then spending time in bookstores. 

" _Land of Women, Tales of Sex and Gender from Early Ireland_." Jed read the title of the book she was browsing. "That sounds intriguing." 

"It is. It's all about what life was like for women in the Middle Ages in Ireland." She watched his hand stop on his way to slip the book from her fingertips and grinned. "Not so titillating now, is it?" 

"Uhhh...Nope." His eyes moved to her eclectic pile of books that held contemporary novels by Irish writers, biographies of the pirate queen Grace O'Malley and the rebel Michael Collins, along with books on the famine and Celtic heritage and ancient traditions. 

"I was talking to one of the clerks and he said that Kenny's is looking into closing the bookstore and simply offering the books online." Abbey set her book down and twisted her neck from side to side to ease out the kinks. 

Jed shook his head. "That's such a shame. I know it seems that buying books online is the wave of the future but it just doesn't seem right to close down bookstores." 

"I know. One of the fun things about visiting a bookstore is browsing through the books and making new discoveries." 

"And the smell of the musty old tomes and new bindings. I hate to think of Aislinn and Nicholas missing out on that kind of experience. I know it's convenient when you're looking for a book to be able to click on the computer and order it, but then you miss the thrill of discovery that browsing through a book that catches your eye can give you. You never know what you might find or what author you might come across." 

Abbey nodded in full agreement then bent over the arm her chair to reach for a book she'd left on the floor. "Speaking of Nicholas and Aislinn, look what I found for them." She handed him a beautifully illustrated hardbound book called _Irish Legends for Children_. 

He began fanning through it, a smile touching his lips. "They're going to love this. And, look at what I found for your father." He handed her a book he'd kept out of the boxes that had been brought to the checkout counter. 

" _The Flight of the Earls_. Oh, this is perfect, Jed. We all grew up listening to Grandma Peg's tales about the O'Neill earls of Northern Ireland." 

"I remember. That's why I asked if they had any books covering that era." 

Abbey stood and leaned in to kiss his cheek. 

"What was that for?" he asked. 

"Because you're thoughtful and you really listen when people talk to you. It means a lot to me that you took the time to find the perfect gift for my father." 

"I keep trying to tell you that I'm a stand up guy." As usual Jed resorted to humor when faced with a moving compliment, but Abbey saw the flush of emotion touch his cheeks. 

"That you are. You did good, boyo." Stretching with a yawn, she looked at her watch with surprise. "It's almost one o'clock." 

"I know. That's why I came to find you. I'm getting hungry." 

"Now that you mention it, I could eat something." 

They'd had an early breakfast before Jed's security briefing, which had given them a later start off to Galway. "Well, then let's buy these books and head out to the pub." 

**** 

Galway was a medieval city built on the shores of Galway Bay, the cultural capitol of Ireland. Narrow streets from the Middle Ages wound their way through town and bilingual signs were on display on the road signs and shop windows as Irish was still spoken by many. Despite its size, Galway, filled with smoky pubs and restaurants, shops and music, still had an Old World distinctly Irish charm. Because of security issues, the First Couple were not allowed to wander and pick out a pub for lunch; the pub had been chosen in advance and the Secret Service had secured Fallon's long before they got there. 

As the motorcade approached, a crowd began to draw round that had to be held back by the Service and local police. Stepping out onto the sidewalk, Abbey and Jed waved to those who had gathered, shook a few hands and checked out the chalkboard propped outside the establishment displaying the specials of the day before entering the dimly lit noisy pub that very quickly went silent. Even the music that had spilled out onto the street stopped as all attention was drawn to the President and First Lady. The couple had been expected with excited anticipation; however seeing them was a bit of a shock. There were murmurs of surprise as Abbey stepped first into the room wearing slim fitting flare bottomed black jeans, a gold silk T-shirt and a trendy black leather jacket, her mane of wavy red-gold hair flowing loose down her back. Without her sophisticated designer First Lady suits or glamorous evening wear, there was something more youthful and approachable about her than what most people saw on television or in magazines. The President looked different as well. In his blue jeans, thin crew neck sweater and leather bomber jacket, he was far more casual than the man they usually saw dealing with the crisis of the world. 

Jed gave Abbey a bemused look at the intimidation their arrival had caused, then turned in his usual gregarious manner with a gesture to encompass the room "So, I'm starving. Who wants to tell me what kind of food is good in this joint?" 

The room remained silent until one older gentleman in a tweed jacket sitting at the bar turned with a grin. "I'm havin' a great hunk of Cod. Can't beat it. Right off the boat, it is." 

"What do you think, Abbey?" Jed asked. Abbey nodded her approval and he turned to the woman who was standing in awe ready to take their orders. "A great hunk of cod it is. My wife and I will have the fish and chips, but I've heard the oysters here are out of this world, so we'll start with an order of those. And, two pints of Guinness as well please." 

"Y...Yes, sir," the woman stammered and made her way back behind the bar where the kitchen staff were peering through the door whispering with excitement. 

"Mary." One of the women caught the waitress by the arm as she entered the kitchen. "Ye got to wait on the President and First Lady." 

"I know. I know...I still can't believe it. I've got the gooseflesh all over." 

"What's he like?" 

"Oh, lordy. He's a handsome devil, that one. Did ye see him there in the blue jeans and leather and oh my if he doesn't have the bluest eyes I ever did see. Bluer than the sky, they were." 

"What did he say?" 

"He asked his wife if fish and chips were all right with her and then he ordered that along with oysters and a couple of Guinness. He calls her Abbey, not Abigail and she's smaller and even more beautiful in person than on the telly. She looks like a movie star, I tell ye." 

"Ahh...y're a lucky one to get their table." The other women sighed. 

Back out in the pub, the music had started up again – a small trio playing traditional Irish music on fiddles and what looked like a banjo style guitar. Abbey and Jed sat at the bar sipping their beer and tapping their feet to the music while they chatted with the patrons of the pub enjoying their stories and the glimpse into the history and culture of the area. The elderly gentleman who had suggested they order the fish and chips was especially filled with the gift of the gab and he regaled Abbey and Jed with stories of the wild clans of the west that had refused to be tamed by Viking or Norman or Englishman. He told them heartbreaking stories of the people that had lived in this untamed corner of Ireland where the soil was so poor and the potato blight so bad that over two-fifth of the population disappeared through death or emigration – over a million deaths to starvation alone. Both Abbey and Jed had heard the stories before, but it was different listening to them told here in the smoky darkened pub with the sound of lilting Irish accents surrounding them and the haunting Celtic music as a soundtrack. 

After their delicious fresh seafood lunch, the First Couple surprised everyone by making their way to the dartboard at the side of the room. 

"Ye play?" asked a young man who was just finishing his game. 

"A little," Abbey said slipping off her jacket to reveal her trim little shape. Jed couldn't help but notice the way the young man's eyes immediately settled on where Abbey's jeans clung to her shapely rear and he gave him a warning look that caused the poor boy to drop the box that held his darts. 

"Oh, let me help you." Abbey bent at the same time the young man did and they nearly conked heads. The young man looked up at Abbey with besotted puppy dog eyes of yearning that caused Jed to take pity on him. The poor lad had fallen under his wife's spell and he could see that Abbey wasn't even aware of it. In fact, had he brought it to her attention she would probably scoff and say he was just a "boy". But he'd seen it all before. Abbey attracted men of any age like moths to a flame, but thankfully she only had eyes for one man and he just happened to be that lucky SOB. 

"Don't let her hustle you," Jed warned. "She's a shark when it comes to darts." 

Abbey narrowed her eyes at him then turned to the young man. "Don't listen to him. I used to play a lot when we lived in London after we were first married. A friend of ours owned a pub but I really haven't played in ages." 

Jed shook his head with an amused grin thinking of the dartboard back home at the farm where she'd liked to play with him and the girls. "Don't say I didn't warn you." 

Between Abbey's very natural ability and the young man's eyes spending more time on the way her chest filled out her T-shirt than they did eyeing the board, she beat him handily, laughing when the old man from the bar presented her with the pot of her winnings as evidently they had been betting on the outcome. 

"Well, I appreciate this," she said waving the money. "But I can't accept it. Instead, how about I buy you all a round with it." 

Cheers filled the room along with laughter, backslapping and lively music. Before leaving the pub, Jed and Abbey popped their heads into the kitchen to thank the staff for a wonderful meal and graciously posed for pictures with them when asked. Only when everyone had been thanked and hands had been shaken did they step out of the pub back into the sunlight. But, it was a different sunlight than they were used to; the sunlight here was softer, more subtle, not nearly as bright as at home. 

Out on the street, they walked past the buskers and musicians that played harps, accordions, guitars and fiddles on the street corners, stopping briefly at times to listen while the Secret Service tried desperately to keep the crowds of locals, tourists and university students at bay, along with the press who were eating up the President and First Lady's visit to town. Many members of the press were still at Kenny's trying to find out what books the First Couple had chosen and some were at the pub trying to find out what they had eaten. But, Jed and Abbey were able to tune all that out; they were simply enjoying their time in the quaint bohemian city and ready to do a little more shopping. 

Shopping for clothing was never Jed's favorite thing to do but he did enjoy meeting people and while Abbey browsed through the traditional knitwear at Ó'Máilles, he stood with Ger and Anne Ó'Máille getting the history of the family owned store. Ó'Máilles had been opened by the family of that name in the 1930's and had been the first retailer to sell the Aran sweaters that women from the Aran Islands had traditionally sold at open-air markets in Galway on the weekends. Now it was a huge trade, especially with tourists. 

"Abbey." Jed approached her as she lifted a sweater up to eyeball for size. "Did you know that it was this store that outfitted the cast for the _Quiet Man_?" 

"Really?" Abbey turned with interest. "That's right. The movie was filmed around this area, wasn't it?" 

"Yes," Anne said, "at Ashford Castle. And both John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara came into town to shop here as well." 

"I can see why. You have some really beautiful things." 

By the time they left the store, Abbey had picked out several of the Aran fisherman sweaters that she loved so much on Jed, purchasing a heather blue one for him, a sea foam green for herself and four identical ones of oatmeal for the girls and Annie. Then, with tears in her eyes from missing them so much, she picked out two adorable sets of jackets, hats and mittens in a pale cream for the twins. She also found a gorgeous lined cashmere cape in deep purple for herself and a casual tweed jacket for Jed. An agent brought their bags to the car and they were able to continue on to Thomas Dillon's. In business since 1750, Dillon's was the oldest jeweler in Ireland; something they were informed of by the proprietor who had greeted them at the door and who warmly welcomed them in. 

"Is there anything I can help you find? Or would you be wanting to browse a bit?" 

"Actually, we're here to look for brooches to bring back for our mothers," Abbey said. "Something with emeralds." 

"Before we do that though," Jed rested his hand on Abbey's elbow, "I'd like to look at your selection of claddagh rings for my wife." 

"Of course, of course. You do know that we are the original makers of the Claddagh Ring and our rings have graced the fingers of many members of royalty as well as celebrities. Queen Victoria herself wore one of our rings." 

"Jed," Abbey protested as the manager led them to a display of rings. "I already have the claddagh ring that you bought me on our honeymoon." 

"I know. But, Abbey we were struggling students back then with a baby on the way. That ring was simple and cheap. I want to buy you something a little more flashy." 

Before Abbey could protest any further, the manager continued on. "All our rings are hand made in our workshop by master craftsmen and we are the only makers of the Claddagh to be allowed to stamp 'original' on them. If it's flashy y're looking for, we have these over here made with emeralds, sapphires and diamonds." 

Jed nodded, "That's more what I was looking for." Both he and Abbey gazed down at the design of the traditional rings, two hands holding a heart that was wearing a crown, the motto being " _Let Love and Friendship Reign_ ". Jed pulled out a lovely sparkling ring. It was a heart shaped emerald surrounded by diamonds that also tipped the crown and was set in white gold. Each cuff at the wrist of the hands held three diamonds set again in white gold, while the band and the hands themselves were a rich yellow gold. He lifted it to the light to watch the watch the jewels sparkle. 

"What do you think?" he asked Abbey. 

"I think it's stunning," she sighed. 

"I like the emerald," he said, "but could we get this ring with a Peridot heart." 

"Of course," the manager smiled. "Let me guess, you have an August birthday." 

Jed gave a slightly sheepish nod then turned to Abbey and pointed to the heart shaped gem. "I want to show that's my heart you hold in your hands. I know the emerald is a little richer color but do you think you'd like the peridot?" 

Touched by his sentimentality, Abbey's voice was thick when she spoke. "I think I'd LOVE the peridot." 

"Well, then I guess this is the one." 

Once Abbey was fitted for the ring, she wandered off to look at the brooches leaving Jed the chance to add a little surprise to his gift. 

"Can you engrave the ring?" he asked. 

"We can do anything you like, sir." 

"Well, then, I'd like you to engrave it." 

"What would you like for it to say?" 

"Let's see...How about 'To Abbey, the woman who holds my heart, love Jed'." 

"I think that's perfect. Now where can I have that delivered for ye." 

"I think it would probably be best if one of the members of the Secret Service picks it up. That way you don't have to go through the hassle of trying to get it to me. We'll be here for another couple of days." 

"That's fine then. It will be ready before ye leave." 

"Thanks." Jed shook the man's hand. 

"Jed," Abbey called out. "Come look at these brooches. They're perfect for your mother and my mother." Jed made his way to her and looked at the Trinity Knot emerald brooches, declaring them perfect. 

After purchasing the brooches, they were brought out back to the small museum of sepia toned and black and white photos of Old Galway that adorned the walls. Also in the tiny museum were artifacts of the city's past including axe heads from the Stone Age and a rosary from the 1800's during the penal times when the Irish had been forbidden to celebrate their religion. While Jed continued to browse, Abbey made her way back out into the jewelry store quickly making a purchase for her husband's upcoming birthday before he joined her and they made their way to the awaiting car, ready to head back to the inn and relax a bit before their evening out. As they sat back in the SUV, Jed turned to Abbey with a sly look. 

"I got you something else while you were off looking for brooches." 

"Jed, the ring was enough." 

"It's just a little something that caught my eye." He pulled the small box out of his pocket and handed it to her. She opened it, a delighted smile crossing her face as she saw the delicate crystal fairy lying inside. 

"Jed, it's lovely." She held it up to the light a myriad of rainbow colors flickering across the crystal. 

"I bought it so you'd always remember skinny dipping at the foot of fairy hill." 

Abbey laughed. "As if I could ever forget." 

"And," He leaned down, his lips gently touching her cheek, "that I proved my love is pure and true because you were left unmolested by the fairies on the hill." 

"Well, I don't need this little fairy to remind me of that," Abbey's dimple deepened and she turned her face to catch him with her lips. 

**** 

"Ah," Maureen laughed as she watched Jed and the agents lugging in bags of clothing and boxes of books. "Bought out Kenny's, did ye?" 

"Just about." Abbey set a shopping bag down on the chair. "And we did the touristy thing and got these great Aran sweaters for ourselves and our kids." 

"Ó'Máilles is the place to do that. Ye must be tired from all this shopping." 

"Just a bit." 

"Well, I know ye'll be goin' out this evening, so I've made ye a nice tea to tide ye over." 

"That sounds wonderful." 

"I can serve it in the parlor or if ye'd like I could bring it up to y're room." 

"Oh, bringing it up to our room would be great. We'd like to relax a bit before going out." 

"Then I'll bring it up in about an hour." 

"Perfect." 

Jed was the first through the door to the bedroom and seeing the costumes lying across the bed he turned to Abbey. 

"What is all this about?" 

She lifted her brow. "I have a few surprises of my own." 

"And what might this surprise be?" 

"The medieval banquet we're attending tonight at the castle is going to be a little more medieval than you thought." 

"What are you talking about?" His tone turned wary. 

"Well, when we were making up the itinerary of our trip here and we decided on doing the banquet, Mayor Ó Brolcháin contacted me to say that instead of other tourists being present it would be easier for security if members of the local government accompanied us instead. I was fine with that because I knew you'd be interested in meeting them, but then I thought it might be fun to do the night in costume. He was all for it, so here we are, I brought costumes." 

"Abbey." He began digging at his costume. "I swear to God if I find tights in here it's all over." 

Abbey's lips twitched. "Well, I did have the option for that you know." 

"How well I know." With a visible breath of relief, Jed held out the pair of black trousers that went with his tunic turning to her with a sigh of relief. "Ahh...it's a good women ye are, Abigail Bartlet." 

"Yeah, yeah, so I've heard. Now if you want the shower first you better get moving." 

**** 

An hour later showered and refreshed hair still damp, they sat in their bathrobes with their feet up to the fire and a tray of food between them – triangular cheddar chutney tea sandwiches, spiced cake and a pot of hot tea. 

"I can't believe they have the nerve to call this a sandwich." Jed held the last small wedge between his thumb and forefinger, devouring it in one bite. 

"This isn't your supper," Abbey looked up as she finished lacing up the corset she would be wearing under her medieval gown. "We're eating at the castle. This is just a little something to hold you over." 

Jed watched his wife slip her hand into the corset, pushing and shoving at her breasts trying to get them to where she wanted them before tying off the last of her laces. 

"Would you like some help with that?" he asked. 

"Jed." She eyed his costume still lying untouched on the bed. "Never mind watching me. Will you please start getting dressed?" 

"Watching you is more fun." 

"Well, if you're going to watch you may as well help." 

"With pleasure." He stepped forward but instead of being able to play with her breasts, Abbey bent to step into the voluminous satin and taffeta gown pulling it up over her hips then presenting her back to him to button up. Abbey heard his sigh of disappointment. 

"Jed, I thought you wanted to help." 

"I did." He stepped forward and began pulling the fabric together to button. "But that was before I knew I was going to be playing 'Mammy' to 'Scarlett'." 

Abbey chuckled then turned around patting his cheek. "You're far better looking than Mammy." 

"And you..." Jed's eyes widened. "Wow." 

"What, this little ol' thing?" She pirouetted in front of him. The gown was a deep rich red embroidered throughout with gold. The tight bodice that emphasized her tiny waist had a scoop neck cut very low to reveal the top swells of her creamy breasts and her hair fell in loose curls over her shoulders. Shining gold and ruby costume jewelry adorned her throat, a large ruby drop landing enticingly right in her cleavage. 

"I'd say it looks like you stepped out of the pages of a history book, but I don't remember any medieval ladies looking quite as sexy as you look tonight." 

"Well, I thank you for that but you're going to look awfully out of place if you don't hurry up and get dressed." 

"Okay, okay." 

**** 

Situated on a rocky promontory high above Galway Bay, Dunguaire Castle sat majestically at the top of a long winding drive. Lights shining on the inside and spotlights on the outside made it visible for miles and as Abbey and Jed stepped from their car, they could hear laughter and music spilling out into the night. Abbey slipped her arm through Jed's and they made their way over the covered moat. Peering into the black water at her side then up at the brightly lit castle, Abbey felt a tingle of excitement, a result of the magical, extremely romantic setting. 

"I feel like we've just stepped back in time over five hundred years," she said. 

"I keep expecting knights to start riding in on their steeds. Still, I feel a little silly being in this costume." Jed looked down at himself. 

Abbey turned to him as they stepped into the light taking in the dark blue velvet tunic cinched at the waist by a wide black belt and worn over a white long sleeved shirt. Black trousers, knee high black leather boots, and a gold medallion that hung from his neck completed the look. "You shouldn't feel silly. You look very dashing. Every inch the medieval prince." 

"If you say so." 

"Mr. President, Mrs. Bartlet." They were approached by the mayor and his wife and led in through large doors into the great hall. Once inside, a butler greeted them gold goblets of mead, a sweet honey wine, and then proceeded to give them a history of the castle before leading them up the spiral staircase to the next floor. Small flaming torches lit their way down the stone hall to large heavy oak doors that opened into the brightly lit banquet hall. 

"CJ!" Abbey approached her friend with a slight feeling of relief. The banquet hall was filled with members of Galway's government and while she enjoyed meeting new people and was adept at the social graces, it was also nice to share this special evening with a friend. 

"Hi," CJ grinned. "Wow, you guys look great." 

"So do you. Nice to see you showing a little décolletage." 

"Find me a medieval dress that wasn't cut nearly to the nipple." 

Abbey laughed and sipped her mead. "I guess they were designed to lure attention away from the fact that most people by their thirties no longer had any teeth." 

CJ gave a quick snort of laughter, choking on her mead. "You're probably right." Then she looked around taking in her surroundings. "Can you believe all this? Sometimes I have to pinch myself to see if it's real, just like I used to do when I first started working in the White House." 

"I know what you mean. It's like walking into the pages of a history book." Abbey was glad that CJ was enjoying herself. She had a bit of Irish blood in her veins too and had never been to Ireland, so Abbey knew this trip held meaning for her as well "Only if that were the case, me – a Cregg – a daughter of simple Roscommon crofters would not have been allowed through the doors." 

"Nor I or Jed." 

"We've come a long way." 

"We sure have." Abbey touched her goblet to CJ's. 

As they were seated for dinner, Jed was given the place of honor at the head of the banquet table, while Abbey, his lady, sat to his right. A four-course meal followed with Irish oak smoked salmon and soda bread, leek and potato soup, chicken in white wine and mushroom cream sauce and a medley of vegetables. In honor of the American President, apple pie with vanilla ice cream was served for dessert. 

The entire time they ate, ladies dressed in medieval garb sang songs of old Ireland accompanied by the Irish Harp. And, once dinner was finished, the castle players gave them a performance of music and song along with scenes acted out from plays and recitations of poems and prose by Ireland's literary giants. Yeats, Shaw, Wilde, they were all present and accounted for and watching Jed relax with a smile softening his features, his attention focused on the performances, Abbey knew that she had picked the perfect night for him. 

Later when the evening's entertainment was finished, Jed led Abbey out to a balcony where they were able to look out over the castle grounds glowing with the light of dozens of torches, moonlight dancing over the darkened bay that lay below. 

"Pretty incredibly night, wasn't it?" Abbey leaned forward against the rail tipping her head back and inhaling the fresh air off the bay. 

Jed nodded, sliding an arm around her waist. "I wasn't sure about things when I saw those costumes, but it was fun. Kind of brought history to life." 

"With a few modern amenities like electricity and indoor plumbing." 

"Important advances to be sure." 

"It's beautiful here, isn't it?" 

Jed nodded tracing a finger down her cheekbone. "Thank you for tonight." 

Abbey smiled running her fingers through his thick hair to the back of his neck to gently pull his face down so that his lips were mere centimeters from hers. "You're very, very, welcome." She kissed him then, an O'Neill and a Flynn embracing in a castle under the moon and the stars on the shores of Galway Bay. 


	16. Summer of Us, The

"So what was it that you said? The lord of the manor could spread his seed all over the village?" Jed placed a hand on each side of Abbey, pinning her to the wall of their bedroom at the inn. "That he could toss up the skirt of any serving wench he pleased?" His lips began nuzzling into her neck. 

"I might have said something like that." Abbey's voice was soft and just a tad breathless as Jed's lips began to work their magic on her delicate skin. 

"Well, I'm the lord of the manor and I'm in the mood to spread a little seed." 

"But I'm not a serving wench," she sniffed. "I'm a high born lady." 

"Makes no difference to me." 

"If you think I'll be letting the likes of you under my skirts, you're a flippin' eejit." 

"Oh, make no mistake about it. I'm gettin' under those skirts, woman." 

"You and what army?" Getting into character now, Abbey's green eyes flashed with fire. 

"These are all the army that I need, darlin'." He wiggled his fingers in front of her face. "And let's see how much of a lady you are once I get these skirts tossed." Jed pinned Abbey to the wall with his superior weight and suckled into the soft skin at her collarbone while his hands bunched in the heavy material of her gown lifting it up to her hips. He held it up with one hand while he slipped the other inside her panties moving past the soft curls to delve into the flesh that had begun to moisten the minute he'd latched on to her neck. 

"Ahh...now you're takin' liberties, sir." Abbey's head moved to the side to allow him better access to her throat. "But, I won't be making love with you without hearing that you love me." 

"We'll see about that." 

Abbey gave a soft gasp as his finger unerringly found the soft little nub that was her pleasure point and her hips began to move restlessly against his fingers. She knew that she was losing the battle and in a desperate move to bring him with her, she placed her own hand over his groin feeling the burgeoning length of him hardening beneath the fabric of his trousers. She cupped him – squeezing and stroking and tracing over him until she had him moaning against her neck. 

"What happened to the high born lady?" he asked, his eyes heavy with desire. 

"Mmmm..." Abbey's head fell back against the wall as Jed's finger slipped inside her, his thumb continuing to circle around her clitoris. "She got a feel of your hand between her legs...Ohh...that's good...that feels so good...don't stop, babe...please..." She gave a whimper of protest as Jed removed his hand from her wet depths and tugged her panties down her thighs. 

"Sssh..." His ran his lips along her jaw. "I'll be right back with something better." His hand moved to his pants quickly releasing himself. Abbey still stood against the wall, her body aching with Jed's withdrawal yet pulsing with the anticipation of what was to come. She didn't have to wait long. He placed a hand on each side of her head; one still filled with the material of her gown to keep it out of the way and pressed his groin up against hers, his hard-on hot against the soft rise of her mound. They were both still fully dressed making it even more erotic for that one area of bare flesh to come together. Jed's erection burned into Abbey's lower belly, she wanted to reach for it, to put him where she needed him, but he kept her imprisoned against the wall with his hips and his lips. Still, her restless rocking against the satiny hard flesh drew exactly the reaction she was looking for. 

"Lift your leg around me," he ground out from where he was nuzzling below her ear. 

"Tell me you love me." She squeezed a hand between their bodies, her fingers closing over his straining shaft feeling it pulse. She stroked him with an expertise that caused his resolve to crumble, her belly becoming damp from the warm little drops of emission she drew from him. 

"Oh, damn woman...I love you...okay...I love you." 

Smiling with satisfaction, Abbey complied with his demand lifting her knee over his hip opening herself to his penetration. Jed took his penis in hand and after a quick search, he found the folds of flesh that gave way as he wedged himself inside. Partially penetrated he paused, lifting Abbey's chin to gaze into her sultry, smoky green eyes. 

"Tell me you want your lord and master to fuck ye." 

Abbey bit her lip. She hated to cave, but she had won the "I love you battle." Jed slipped himself another inch into her and the point was moot. The war was over. 

"Yes..." she sighed. 

"Tell me," he growled, taking her lips in a passionate kiss that took her breath away. 

Chest heaving, she looked him straight in the eye. "I want my lord and master to fuck me." 

"And who is your lord and master?" He withdrew the couple of inches he had penetrated her. 

"You are...Oh, God, you are." 

Jed nodded and grabbed the back of her thigh pulling her up hard against him as he thrust his full length upward. Abbey cried out against the soft warm skin of his neck. 

"You like that?" he murmured into her temple. 

"Oh yeah," she moaned. 

His hips began rocking up at her then, his fingers digging into her rear to hold her in place. 

"Oh yeah...oh yeah...oh yeah..." Abbey's breathless chant grew with urgency with each thrust of Jed's hips until groaning with frustration at the angle that allowed only shallow thrusts he told her to "hang on." 

Confused and caught up in his lovemaking, she didn't understand what he expected of her until she felt his other hand grip her rear and start to lift her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, then both legs around his waist as he lifted her and settled her even more firmly against him. She shifted then, taking him so deep with her it caused a sharp gasp slip between her lips. Then, penetrated to his hilt, Abbey clung to him wrapped about his neck and hips, her body squeezing around his thick invasion. He pressed her back against the wall and began thrusting his hips up at her hard and fierce. 

Abbey's breath was warm and moist at his ear. Her soft moans, sharp little whimpers and breathless soft erotic words telling him what he was doing to her and how good it was, urged him closer and closer to completion. And, when she came, she bit down on his earlobe groaning his name into his ear, a move that sent him right over the edge with her. The force of his ejaculation caused his legs to weaken and he kept her pressed up to the wall until her body had finished squeezing out every ounce of essence that it could from him. Only then did he slowly lower her to the floor, both their breath catching in their throats as he slipped out of her body. 

"Well, bloody hell," Abbey let out her breath leaning up against the wall to support her shaky legs. "That was some pretty intense seed spreading, your lordship." 

Jed laughed and caught her about the waist leading her toward the bed where they both lay flat on their backs still dressed in their costume finery trying to catch their breath. Finally, Abbey rolled onto her side and propped herself up on her elbow to look down on him. Tenderly she brushed his hair back off his sweaty brow tracing her fingers over his handsome face. 

"Back on our honeymoon, did you ever think we'd be here three decades later still so hot for one another that we couldn't take the time to strip our clothes off before making love?" 

"Hell, yes." 

"You did?" 

"Abbey, from the moment I entered your body for the first time, I knew that I would never be able to get enough of you. I still don't think I'll ever get enough of you. Didn't you think it would be this way for us?" 

"I don't think I ever thought that far ahead. All I remember thinking was that I couldn't believe we were going to be able to mess around like this for the rest of our lives without having to worry, like the good Catholic girl that I was, that it was wrong or a sin. Marriage gave me the freedom to give in to my lust without guilt." 

Jed chuckled and took her hand bringing her ring finger to his lips. "It's glad I am then that I put this ring on your finger." 

"Was that all it was to you?" Abbey teased. "A way to get into my pants without inhibitions." 

"Ah, lass..." Jed propped himself up on his own elbow his fingers reaching out to tuck a strawberry curl behind her ear, a tender smile crossing his lips. "You know better than that." 

Swallowing tightly, her eyes growing misty at the thought of Jed's all consuming love over the years, Abbey nodded and leaned forward to kiss him gently. "I do, Jed. I do." 

**** 

The sky had been overcast, the air heavy with mist when Marine One set off from Galway to Inishmore. However, fifteen minutes later when the First Couple stepped out of the helicopter in Kilronin, rays of sunlight were visible through the clouds. Although it was the largest of the Aran Islands, Inishmore – inhabited mainly by farmers and fishermen who still lived in the Celtic tradition of generations gone by – was only ten miles long and two miles wide. There was only one paved road on this island where bicycles outnumbered cars and livestock outnumbered people. And, if Abbey and Jed had thought that wandering around the Galway countryside was like stepping back in time, it was nothing compared to what they would experience on Inishmore. 

Waiting for them at the edge of the roughly paved lane that was narrow enough to look more like a path than a road was a horse and buggy driven by a man in an old faded tweed jacket and a matching wool snap cap pulled down over his forehead. The man, with his craggy weather worn face, twinkling blue eyes and shock of white hair, introduced himself as Eamon and he was to be their tour guide and storyteller, or "seanachie" as he put it. 

As they set off along the coastal pathway, Eamon fascinated Abbey and Jed with what life was like on the ancient island as the various family clans fought for prominence in the area. Inishmore was also an important center for early Irish Christianity and was filled with ancient monuments and early Christian ruins. At times, Abbey and Jed felt as if they had truly stepped into a place untouched by modern civilization. 

And, while they listened to the stories in the man's melodic lilt, they took in the rugged natural beauty of the island. Miles and miles of low stone walls divided rolling rocky green fields and in the distance every way they looked lay the dark blue expanse of the sea. Blooming, arching fuchsia hedges often blocked the view but then they would come around a corner and it would all be laid about before them again – fields high above the sea dotted with grazing cows, small thatched roof stone cottages and pastures filled with livestock. And, when Eamon greeted the inhabitants of the cottages, it was in the Irish language that was the spoken tongue on the island. 

As they grew closer to the water, the wind blew their hair back off their faces carrying on it the briny smell of the ocean. And, as they rounded one particular corner, they heard a familiar barking sound that drew their attention down to the rocky beach below. 

"Seals," Abbey cried with delight. She lifted her camera snapping pictures as the glistening brown animals frolicked in the sea and on the rocks. 

"Are ye sure, ma'am?" Eamon grinned back at her. "Are ye sure tis not a selkie you see?" 

"Well," Abbey said playing along. "Since I've never seen a selkie, I can't rightly say." 

"Then ye know what one is, do ye?" 

"It's a mythical creature half seal half human." 

"Ye be watchin' what ye call mythical, ma'am. Here in these isles the selkie's tale is no myth at all. There are hundreds of stories told about those elusive creatures – most of them endin' in tragedy. Selkies are able to transform to human form by sheddin' their seal skins and they can revert back to bein' a seal when they put their skin back on. The problem is that a selkie in human form, male or female, is a beautiful thing to behold and humans can rarely resist taking them into their bed and their hearts. Male selkies are particularly seductive and they typically seek women who are dissatisfied in their romantic life, especially married women whose husbands are out to sea, if you get me drift." He turned to give Abbey a wink. "If a woman wishes to make contact with a selkie male, she has to go to a beach and shed seven tears into the sea." 

"An intriguing way to find a lover," Abbey nodded thoughtfully then squealed when Jed pinched her hip. 

"If you remember correctly, my love, you have nothing to be dissatisfied about. So don't think a selkie is going to be making his presence known to you." 

"Jed!" Abbey flushed, her gaze moving to Eamon who was simply grinning broadly. 

"I'm just stating the facts, toots. Now, please continue, Eamon." 

"Well, ye see there is an even greater tragedy when a human male steals the skin of selkie maiden and takes her to his wife. For ye see she will never be fully his. Her gaze will always fall longingly on the ocean and the life that is denied her. Sometimes a selkie wife will live with a man for years, bear him many children and yet if her skin is found, she will not think twice about returning to her home in the sea leaving behind the broken hearts of her man and her children." 

"That's so sad," Abbey sighed. "Even after loving a man for years and having his children, she'd still rather return to the sea." 

"'Tis the nature of the creature, ma'am. T'was unnatural for her to live the way she was. But there have been stories told upon which a selkie woman returned to home in the ocean depths would come back and visit her children, playing with them in the waves of the sea. There are many heartbreaking stories told of the selkie/human matches." 

Abbey nodded. "Our daughter Zoey loved _The Secret of Roan Inish_. She must have watched it a hundred times when it came out on video." 

"Well, she's got the blood of a Celt, she does." 

Abbey thought of her auburn haired sometimes-temperamental daughter and grinned. "Yes, she does." 

"Well then, and here we are." At the foot of a hill on the very edge of the island, Eamon stopped the cart and Abbey and Jed gazed up to the top of the sea cliff to see a field of stone ruins. It was Dun Aengus, one of the finest prehistoric monuments in Western Europe dating back to the first century B.C. Jed climbed down out of the cart reaching a hand up to help Abbey out and the two of them set off up the rocky path that led to the ruins. As they approached the fort, they came to prehistoric minefield of razor sharp stones standing upright. 

"Chevaux de fris." Jed said. 

"What?" Abbey was testing the top of the sharp stone with her finger. 

"That's what these minefields are called. Chevaux de fris. Doesn't seem like much now, but imagine that those three thick stone walls up ahead are closed in and the men behind it shooting arrows at you as you try to maneuver around these rocks, some of your men tripping and impaling themselves." 

Abbey shuddered. "That's a lovely image, Jed, thank you." 

"War isn't pretty, gorgeous." 

"Well, I'll leave you down here to imagine your gory battle. I'm going up to the ruins." She started up the path then turned back lifting her camera. She clicked away as she watched Jed walking through the minefield wearing the soft brown and olive tweed jacket she had bought him at Ó'Máilles over a tan sweater vest and a pair of jeans and sneakers. His thick sandy brown hair was windblown and shot through with golden highlights from the sun. He looked much as he had when he was a mouth watering young professor at Dartmouth. All he needed was a pipe to complete the look. 

"What are you looking at?" he asked as he joined her. 

"You," she smiled, pushing a lock of hair back off his forehead. "You're very sexy in a professorial kind of way." 

"Really?" He lifted a brow. "This what does it for you?" 

"Oh, one of the many things that does it for me, babe." She slipped a hand inside his jacket and around his back to rub her fingers into the small of his back. He smiled down at her, blue eyes twinkling, his thumb running over her full bottom lip. He bent his head brushing his lips against hers and up above at the ruins a group of tourists began clapping. 

"I think we have an audience." Pressing her forehead into Jed's chest for a moment, she then turned to face the crowd giving them a jaunty little wave. Jed's wave was much more ebullient. Then, hand in hand, they climbed a little further and began exploring the ruins along with the tourists who had been lucky enough to end up at Dun Aengus at the same time as the President and his lady. There were three semi-circular walls more than thirteen feet thick and eighteen feet high that faced inland and the fort was backed right up on the 200-foot sheer cliffs that offered a natural defense from the enemy. Abbey and Jed first meandered around the inner perimeter of the ruins. There was a mystical, ghostly feel to the place and for a moment Jed could hear the sounds of battle, the Gaelic shouting of orders, the clanging of swords and the screams of anguish as an archer met his mark. 

"Jed?" 

Jed gave a start as Abbey softly touched his elbow. She was smiling at him. 

"You were a million miles away." 

"More like a couple thousand years back. I was thinking what it must have been like to defend a place like this." 

Abbey nodded. "You want to walk out along the cliffs?" 

"Okay. But we can't get too close. Did you read the warning signs?" 

"I did." Abbey's grin broadened. She knew her husband hated heights. "They said not to get too close to the edges because strong winds have been known to dash people off into the rocks down below." 

Jed shuddered at the very thought but took Abbey's hand as they began to stroll along the cliff's edge, far enough away not to worry about being blown over. The view was spectacular. Looking one way there was nothing but the deep blue of the ocean, 3,000 miles of ocean before one hit North America. Looking the other way, across the island was Galway Bay and the bays and inlets of the Connemara coast. And, beneath them the waves pounded into the base of the steep sheer cliff they stood atop of. Holding Jed's hand and looking out at the Emerald Isle, Abbey felt something within her stir. She was an American, yes, filled with patriotic pride in her country, the country she loved. And yet, this land was a part of her as well. It was in her blood and her bones and she could feel it in her heart. She lay her head on Jed's shoulder and he kissed the top of her head. 

"Do you feel it, Jed?" she asked. "Do you feel the magic?" 

Jed swallowed his voice just a tad husky. "Yeah, Abbey...I do." 

**** 

Back in the village, they bid farewell to Eamon and decided to run into a shop before heading next door to the pub for something to eat. Besides the Aran sweaters that filled a whole wall, the shop had a lot of silver Celtic jewelry. Abbey fell in love with a simple inexpensive Celtic cross made up entirely of intricate little Celtic knots much like her tattoo. While the cashier started to check her out, she picked up a funny little squat statue. 

"What's this?" she asked the woman. The woman glanced up at the item Abbey held in her palm a smile curving her lips. 

"Well, that, ma'am, is a pagan fertility statue. Tis said..." 

Before the woman could continue on, Abbey gave a slight grimace and set the statue down wiping her hands on her pants. When she heard Jed chuckling behind her she turned around. 

"What are you laughing about?" she asked. 

"You, hot pants. You don't believe in paganism, do you?" 

"Of course not." 

"But you wiped your hands just in case." 

"So what if I did." 

"Babe, you don't need to touch a statue to help with fertility." 

"Tell me about it," Abbey sighed. "But, better safe than sorry." 

"We do have our hands full," he agreed. "And speaking of our hands being full, look what I got for the twins." He held up two adorable stuffed woolly lambs. 

"By the time we're done buying them souvenirs, they're going to think it's Christmas." 

"It's going to show them that we missed them." 

"You're right, dear." Abbey patted his shoulder. "Now let's eat I'm starved." 

At the pub next door, they ordered two corned beef and swiss sandwiches to go and a couple bottles of beer. Eamon had told them about a secluded beach only a few miles away and they had decided to ride bikes over and have their lunch there. It was an invigorating ride, up and down the hilly narrow paths until finally they came upon it, a beautiful cove with a white sand beach caressed by the deep blue green sea. Sliding off their sneakers, they walked barefoot across the sand. Then, finding the perfect spot, they spread out the wool blanket they had bought at the tourist shop and pulled their lunch out of the backpack. They ate their sandwiches and drank their beer and then after a long barefoot walk along the edge of the icy cold ocean with their pants rolled up to their knees, they lay back together on the blanket to relax in the weak sun. Jed reached out to take Abbey's hand both of them gazing up at the clouds that dotted the blue sky. 

"Are you having a good a good time?" he asked. 

"The best. This trip has been everything I'd hoped for and more. The only drawback..." 

"Is missing the kids," Jed finished the sentence with her. "I know I miss the little buggers too." 

"But, I know we needed this. We needed some alone time. We haven't had that since the day they were born almost three and half years ago." 

"As if I weren't aware of that." 

Abbey's voice turned wary. "Do you ever regret it?" 

"Regret what?" 

"That I got pregnant. That we won't have our empty nest for another fifteen years." 

"Empty nests are overrated. I like having chicks around." 

Abbey smiled. She knew that he did. He'd taken to fatherhood with a tender gusto from the moment wet, squalling newborn Elizabeth had been placed in his arms. And that joy had not diminished any with each subsequent birth of their children. 

"What about you?" Jed asked. "Do you ever regret that instead of being able to do your own thing with Zoey off at school that you're tied down by being 'mommy' again?" Abbey closed her eyes seeing behind them the adorable, cherubic smiling faces of her little girl and boy and a soft smile touched her own lips. 

"No, I don't. I thought I might, but I don't. Yeah, I miss some of the spontaneity. It's been nice this past week to be able to make love whenever and wherever we want without having to worry about the kids, but I think God knew exactly what he was doing when he had me conceive. When I found out that I was pregnant, I couldn't imagine myself having another baby and going through the nursing and the diapers and the potty training again, but it's been a blessing, and those two little hellions have brought so much joy into our lives." 

Jed nodded. "I'm looking forward to when I'm out of office and I can do normal things with them like running a cub scout or brownie troop or coaching a team, or just taking them camping...Why are you looking at me like that?" 

Abbey ran a finger over his brow smiling. "Because this is the first time I've heard you talk about life after the White House without a hang dog tone to your voice." 

Jed rolled his eyes. "I know it isn't going to be easy to give it all up, to hand over the reins. But there are compensations." 

"Yes, there are and I'm glad you can see that. One of those compensations is having the time to do things like this, taking a relaxing non-political trip to Ireland. Promise me we'll always do this. I don't mean a big trip like this all the time, I just mean that we'll get away every so often the way we used to and just be us." 

"I promise." He kissed the back of her hand. "You're the one who keeps me centered, Abbey. I couldn't have done this Presidency without you next to me to keep me balanced." 

"I know." 

"You know?" He lifted a brow. 

"It's part of my job." 

"Oh really. Your job?" 

"My job, as First Lady. Nevermind hosting teas and state dinners and speaking at fundraisers; my job first and foremost is to help you be the best President you can be. To remind you of who you are and what you stand for and most of all to make you remember that before you were President Bartlet, you were JED Bartlet and that Jed Bartlet is a pretty good guy." 

"Pretty good, huh?" He grinned. 

Abbey leaned over his chest gazing down into his beautiful tanned face. "Well, now that depends what we're talking, doesn't it?" Her green eyes twinkled with merriment as she pressed her lips to the little hollow between his lower lip and his chin. 

"Well now, I guess it does." 


	17. Summer of Us, The

"Mommy lets us paint in the tub, LIZABETH!" Nicholas splashed his hands in the water with frustration. 

"Nicky, you gutted it in my eyes," Aislinn shoved at her brother with an overtired whine. 

Elizabeth wearily blew her hair back off her face. She'd been keeping the kids busy with a lot of fun activities and they had actually been doing very well. Most of the time they were having so much fun they didn't even remember that their parents were away – the two exceptions being bedtime or when they were overtired. But today she'd had the television on and they had seen news footage of the President and First Lady in Galway City and since seeing their parents, the twins has been cranky and out of sorts. 

"I know Mommy lets you paint in the tub," she said wiping Aislinn's eyes with a towel then holding up an empty bottle up in front her little brother's face, "but we're out of bath paints. You guys used them up last night." 

"But, I want blue paint!" 

"Nicholas, I don't have any blue paint. I don't have any paint at all." 

Nicky's lower lip jutted out trembling with sadness. "I want my mommy." He jammed his thumb into his mouth to comfort himself. 

"I know you do, buddy." Elizabeth ran a hand over his damp head. She knew this tantrum was about far more than not having paint. It was about not having the routine that he was used to, not having his mother to bathe and tuck him in or his father to read him a bedtime story. "We'll give Mommy a call as soon as you get out of the tub." 

"Look what I found, guys." Facing mutiny from the twins over the lack of bath paints, Zoey had gone searching through the bag of bath toys her mother had in the nursery to find something to amuse them. 

"Fishies," Aislinn grinned. 

"Yup." Zoey dropped the foam fish, starfishes and crabs into the water and then handed them each a little plastic pole. "Okay, guys, go to town. Let's see what you can catch." 

Within minutes, the toddler angst was over and the tears replaced with giggles as the twins battled to catch the most sea creatures in the tub. 

**** 

> " _Stay awake, don't rest your head_  
>  Don't lie down upon your bed   
> While the moon drifts in the skies   
> Stay awake, don't close your eyes"

Jed came out of the bathroom at the sound of Abbey's lovely voice singing softly. He smiled when he found her reclining on the bed wearing only one of his oversized gray Notre Dame Fighting Irish sweatshirts and a pair of lacy lavender bikini panties, the glass of Baileys that he had poured her in her hand. She was singing the lullaby into the phone and seeing the sadness in her pretty moss colored eyes, he stretched out beside her on the bed sliding his hand up under her sweatshirt to caress her soft flat belly. God, how he loved to listen to her sing. Abbey smiled down on him enjoying the feel of his warm hand stroking her skin, running patterns over her flesh while she sang on. 

> " _Though the world is fast asleep_  
>  Though your pillow's soft and deep   
> You're not sleepy as you seem   
> Stay awake, don't nod and dream   
> Stay awake, don't nod and dream"

Jed's hand moved slowly up over her ribcage to cup over the bare firm mound of her breast feeling the nipple harden beneath his palm as he gently kneaded her. While it was a sexual move, it was not meant to arouse but to comfort and show his physical affection for her, a move to assuage his need to touch her and her need to be touched. Abbey set her glass down and began to thread her fingers through Jed's silky thick hair while he continued to fondle her and she continued to sing. 

> " _Stay awake, don't rest your head  
>  Don't lie down upon your bed   
> While the moon drifts in the skies   
> Stay awake, don't close your eyes_"   
>    ( _Stay Awake_ by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman)

Then she stopped and was silent for a moment. "Are they asleep?" she asked. "...Good. Give them kisses from your dad and me...Love you too. Good night." She set the phone down beside the bed. 

"I take it you were singing to the twins," Jed said. 

"Yes, they were having a hard time tonight because they saw footage of us in Galway on TV...Hey," she protested, slipping her hand under the big sweatshirt to lift his hand from where it now lay over her belly button to again cup over her breast. "Don't stop what you were doing. You know how I like to be petted." 

"Why, yes I do," he smiled, squeezing her breast with just the right amount of pressure, sliding his thumb lazily around her areola and the pebble hard nipple before again pausing, "but I can only do that for so long before activating Old Hickory's launch sequence." 

Abbey giggled and reached for her glass sipping the rich warm Baileys Irish Cream, feeling it spread warmly in her belly. "I have no problem with that." 

"Well, most times I wouldn't either. But, right now there's something I want to give you." He removed his hand from under the sweatshirt, smoothing it back in place over her hips to cover the lovely lacy apex of her thighs that was far too distracting for him. 

"Now, what would you be giving me? You better not have bought me that pagan fertility statue." 

"I'm not that big of a fool, am I?" 

Before Abbey could speak, he lifted his hand to ward her off. "Don't answer that. I did not buy you the fertility statue. I was talking about your ring. The agents picked it up for me today." 

"Ah, let's see." She rubbed her hands together with delight as Jed opened the box. "Ohh... there it is." She gazed down at the intricately designed ring with the sparkling diamonds and pale green periodot. She reached out for the box but Jed held it out of reach. 

"Have some patience. You know the tradition. Give me your hand." 

Abbey held her left hand out. Jed took it and began sliding the ring onto her middle finger. The ring had to be worn on her left hand with the heart turned in, indicating that she was happily married and the love and friendship of that marriage would last forever. Watching the ring slide on her slender finger, Jed spoke the words of the claddagh, "I give you my heart, in friendship, love, loyalty and fidelity," His lips touched the back of her fingers over both her wedding and claddagh rings. 

"Well now." Abbey wiggled her fingers letting the light catch in the jewels, "that looks just right." 

"It most certainly does." 

**** 

One minute, Zoey was sleeping soundly, the next minute she was awake and she didn't know why. She lay quietly for a moment trying to figure out what had wakened her and then she heard it again – the click of dog nails on the floor in the hall, the soft whining, and then the muffled sound of children crying. She climbed out of bed shoving the knee length New England Patriot's T-shirt down over her hips and stepped out into the hall. Max whined more loudly when he saw her. It was obvious that the big shepherd was anxious about something. 

"What's wrong, Max?" She started toward the nursery but Max headed the other way toward her parents' bedroom and that was when she realized that the crying was coming from there and not the nursery. She made her way over and when she saw movement in the darkened room and heard the sniffling, she turned on the light. Nicholas and Aislinn were both standing by their parents' bed with tear-stained faces and runny noses, little hiccupping sobs emanating from them. 

"Hey guys." Zoey moved to the two woebegone children, kneeling in front of them with open arms to absorb them into her hug. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?" 

"W...w...want to sleep with my m...m...mommy 'n 'n my DADDY." Aislinn buried her face in Zoey's shoulder. 

"Why they not h...here?!" Nicky's demand was more of a plea. 

"You know why they aren't here. Mommy sang you to sleep tonight from Ireland. You're going to see them soon when you go on the plane to London to meet them. And I heard that they have some surprises for both of you." 

"But we wants to sleep with them...We always sleeps with them." Aislinn sniffled, rubbing the back of her hand across her nose. 

"Well, how about you both come sleep with me?" 

The little hiccups stopped for a moment while they contemplated the offer, then Nicholas glanced down at the little Sheltie that was his and Aislinn's shadow. 

"C'n Panda come too? And Max?" 

"Sure, we'll make it a whole slumber party." Zoey grabbed the box of tissues by her parents' bed and began mopping up little faces. "Now come on, no more tears. Okay?" 

"Okay, Zoey." They sniffled but put on brave faces as they each took her hand. Zoey popped her head into Elizabeth's room to tell her that she had the twins, then took them back to her own bedroom. Pulling down the bedcovers to scoot the kids in, she was thankful that she had a full sized bed here and not a twin, especially once Panda joined them all to curl up at the foot. Thankfully Max, ever the guard dog, merely stretched out on the floor beside the bed ready to ward off any intruder that might try to get to close to his family. 

Zoey snuggled in with the two children and had just closed her eyes to get back to sleep when Aislinn began tapping her on the shoulder. 

"What?" she asked sleepily. 

"Now you gots to sing to us. Mommy always sings to us." 

"Oh...okay..." Zoey yawned and thought for a minute before settling on a song. 

" _Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found. Was blind but now I see. T'was–_ " 

"Hey." Nicholas sat up with amazement. "Mommy sings us that song." 

"I know," Zoey smiled. "She used to sing it to me when I was a little girl. Now lay back down and close your eyes. If you're good kids, maybe I'll take you out on the _Zellie_ tomorrow." 

"We'll be good, Zoey." Aislinn snuggled up to her big sister's chest and Nicholas settled in against Aislinn. Zoey began singing again as she stroked their little backs and soft hair just as her mother had done for her while she was growing up and just as she knew she did for these two, for it didn't take them long at all to fall back to sleep. 

**** 

Jed moved away from the crowd and made his way to the bar for a Guinness. He was in the Blazer's Private Suite at the Ballybrit racecourse hobnobbing with members of Galway's local government, big wig corporate sponsors and horse owners waiting for the start of the "Galway Plate" horse race. The Galway races were the greatest of all the Irish racing festivals. A week long party so popular that many businesses not related to the tourist industry simply closed down to allow their employees to attend. Like the Kentucky Derby, the races attracted both race goers and socialites. 

Jed sipped at his beer while Mayor Ó Brolcháin gave him the history of the racecourse, but his eyes were on his wife. Ever the chameleon, she had moved from the casual breezy tourist in a ponytail, jeans, and sweaters hiking up fairy hills, playing darts in a pub and riding bikes by the sea, to this sophisticated fashionable example of womanhood. She wore a sleeveless white summer linen sheath that was trimmed in black and that accentuated the slender hourglass curves of her figure. It fell a couple of inches above her lovely knees and white high-heeled platform sandals did wonderful things to her bare shapely calves. A wide brimmed white straw hat, also trimmed in black sat on her head and her bright strawberry blond locks tumbled from beneath down her back. At the moment, she was engaged in an animated discussion with several of the trainers who had horses running in the race that afternoon. 

Horses in Ireland were a national pastime and in this Abbey shared the passion. Jed knew his history well – he knew that the love and fascination with the horse went all the way back to the days of the ancient Celts who believed that horses were Gods and had magical powers. He'd read Irish mythology that was filled with tales of great chariot steeds, Centaurs and horse Gods, and he'd also read about the great horse races that were held at ancient sites throughout the country. In fact, records of organized horse races in County Galway dated back as far as the thirteenth century. And, as a person with more than a passing interest in economics – to say the least – he knew that today in Ireland the horse was big business. Foreigners flocked to the Emerald Isle to purchase beautiful, talented horseflesh or to have their horses trained by some of the best horsemen in the world – some of the men who were standing in this very room. 

"Ah, hello, Mr. President." The man who had been intently conversing with his wife acknowledged him as he approached. "Your lovely wife was just telling me how much she enjoys riding and I was telling her about some of the many equestrian tours that we offer throughout the country." 

Abbey's green eyes danced, as she knew her husband's reaction to that news. "Three to fourteen days, Jed. Riding all day and staying at B&B's and farmhouses along the way. Doesn't that sound like fun?" 

"About as fun as a root canal," Jed grumbled. 

Abbey chortled with laughter and turned to the man who'd made the suggestion. "Mr. O'Hara, I'm afraid my husband doesn't share my love of riding." 

The man turned to Jed with surprise. "You've got Irish blood and you don't like horses?' 

"I like horses just fine. It's riding them that's the problem." 

"You can't ride a horse?" 

Jed didn't like the slightly derisive tone to the man's voice. "Of course I can RIDE a horse," he scoffed. "I've ridden plenty of times. It's just not my favorite thing to do, especially not riding for days on end." 

Abbey turned to him. "I know it's not something you'd enjoy doing, but I was thinking that maybe next summer I could come with Zoey and Annie and spend a few days trekking across the countryside." 

"I'm sure they'd both enjoy that," he enthusiastically agreed. 

"Anything to keep your own tush out of the saddle, eh?" 

"You said it," Jed grinned. 

"Countdown to race time," someone called out, causing everyone to begin filtering out of the private room. 

Abbey and Jed were ushered out past the oyster bars, jazz bands and champagne and beer tents, toward the special VIP box. Once in the box, Jed began seriously studying his race card while Abbey took in her surroundings. It was definitely a party atmosphere – the excitement for the race almost palpable. The attire for the women ran the gamut from the sophisticated and stylish to the ridiculously garish with some of the silliest looking hats that she'd ever seen. Men, probably trainers, in jackets and ties leaned over the paddocks to talk to jockeys in their shiny brightly colored silks. And then there were the horses – gorgeous sleek muscular animals ready to strut their stuff. 

"Ah, now this is a horse I can bet on." Jed passed his race card off to Abbey. She glanced at his circled choice then up at him. 

"Freedom Flyer?" 

"Yeah, can't resist a name like that." 

"Jed, you can't bet on a name. This horse has terrible odds. He's yet to place in a race. In fact, he's never placed higher than sixth and he's been dead last in his last two races." 

"Today's the day. I feel it in my bones." 

"He's a long shot." 

"So was I, hot pants," he grinned. She grinned back at him. 

"Since when do you make sentimental bets?" 

"Since when do I follow horse racing?" 

"Touché." 

Neither of them really followed horseracing although they had attended some races at the state fairs in New Hampshire and the Kentucky Derby a few times. The equestrian horse shows that their girls had been involved in were more their style. 

"Besides, how is this any different from you rooting on any filly that races against the big boys." 

"It is different. That's the sisterhood at work." She put a fist up in solidarity. 

"The sisterhood extends to horses?" 

"You bet." 

"Well, who looks good to you?" 

"Right here. Rory Sunset." 

Jed gazed at the card and shrugged. "It's a safe bet." 

"I didn't say I was betting on him. I just said he looked good." 

"So, who's your money on?" 

"I have a whimsical side myself. I'm going with this one right here." 

Jed's eyes widened then he glanced up at her with a naughty little twinkle dancing in their crystal blue depths. "Always on Top?" 

"Fitting, isn't it?" She gave him a saucy little wink and slipped an arm around his waist. 

"A little wishful thinking, maybe," he teased. "But he's a long shot too." 

"I backed a long shot once and he came through for me." 

"Yeah, but you didn't really think he was going to win." 

"Of course I did. I knew it the moment he stepped onto the racetrack. But you see, he had a little bit of ego problem, so I couldn't let him know that I already knew of his greatness or it might have swelled his head." 

Jed laughed then. "Oh, Abigail, you are a terrible minx, woman." 

**** 

"Jed, would you look at that sunset." 

Seated across from his wife in front of a large window facing the estuary where the River Corrib emptied into Galway Bay, Jed turned his attention to the fiery orange ball that was the sun sinking into the horizon casting shimmering pink shadows over the glassy calm waters of the sea and filling the sky with brilliant streaks of magenta. 

"This really is a beautiful spot. Maureen was right." 

"Then you're not disappointed just having dinner with me?" 

They'd been invited to a party at the manor house owned by one of the big sponsors of the races but had turned him down because they had already made plans to dine privately at the romantic and picturesque River House Inn. 

Jed smiled softly and reached a hand across the table to place over hers squeezing her fingers gently. "How could I ever be disappointed by having dinner with you. There's nobody else I'd rather see on the other side of the table." 

"Not getting sick of me then?" 

"Not yet." He took a bite of the mushroom risotto that accompanied his wild roasted duck. "Ask me in a few more years." 

Abbey gave a well-placed kick to his shin. 

"Ow!" he exclaimed. 

"A few more years indeed," she sniffed. 

Jed chuckled. "Ask a foolish question, get a foolish answer." 

"Excuse me, sir, ma'am." The waitress appeared. "Would you be wanting a look at the dessert cart?" 

"Wheel it in," Jed ordered exuberantly. 

"I'm not sure I could eat another bite," Abbey groaned. 

"Well, I can," Jed assured the woman who then wheeled the cart of delectables up to their table. "Now tell me, what's your most expensive item?" 

"Sir?" 

"Your most expensive item. My wife's paying with her winnings from the races today. At least the small portion she didn't donate to local hospitals." 

The woman smiled with delight. "You won, did you, ma'am?" 

"I did," Abbey sipped her wine with amusement. "And since my husband was such a gracious loser, I promised him dinner." 

"I didn't exactly lose. Freedom Flyer placed third just behind Rory Sunset. It was the highest he'd ever placed." 

"Third place was hardly enough in winnings to buy dinner though, was it?" 

"Only if we'd planned on hitting a local McDonalds." 

The waitress laughed. She hadn't been sure what to expect when she'd been told she would be serving the President of the United States and his icon of a wife, but they had both been fun and charming and their affection for each other was very apparent. Each time she'd entered the room they had been engaged in intimate conversation, laughing, or holding hands. It was very obvious that they truly enjoyed each other's company. 

By the time the waitress returned with their coffee – Jed's "Tipsy Irish Whiskey Cake" and Abbey's scoop of blueberry and buttermilk sherbet ice cream – music had begun to emanate from the next room – a band and the sweet voice of an Irish soprano singing popular hits. Having finished her dessert first, Abbey rested her chin in her palms watching Jed enjoy his food while listening to the woman singing her plea to her love not to "break her heart slow". Jed didn't miss the wistful look of longing in his wife's eyes. Abbey loved to dance. 

"Sounds like they're having fun out there." He placed his fork down and tilted his head toward the closed door to their private dining area. 

"Mmm..." Abbey agreed, watching with surprise as Jed stood and held his hand out to her. 

"Care to trip the light fantastic, Dr. B?" 

She smiled brightly. "I thought you'd never ask, Dr. B." She took his hand and they stepped out of the dining room out onto the crowded dance floor where Jed immediately pulled his slender wife's body into his embrace. Abbey pressed her cheek to his chest closing her eyes to give herself the illusion that they were just any other couple spending a night out dining and dancing without all eyes upon them. It was surprisingly easy to focus only on the woman's lovely voice and the emotions of being held in her husband's strong arms while immersing herself in the meaningful lyrics of the song. 

> _Oh, thinkin' about our younger years_  
>  There was only you and me   
> We were young and wild and free   
> Now nothing can take you away from me   
> We've been down that road before   
> That's over now   
> You keep me comin' back for more 
> 
> Baby you're all that I want   
> When you're lying here in my arms   
> I'm finding it hard to believe   
> We're in heaven 
> 
> And lovin' is all that I need   
> And I find it there in there in your heart   
> It isn't too hard to see,   
> We're in heaven 
> 
> Oh, once in your life you find someone   
> Who will turn your world around   
> Bring you up when you're feelin' down   
> Now nothing can change what you mean to me   
> There's a lot that I could say   
> But just hold me now   
> Cause our love will light the way 
> 
> Baby you're all that I want   
> When you're lying here in my arms   
> I'm finding it hard to believe   
> We're in heaven 
> 
> And lovin' is all that I need   
> And I find it there in your heart   
> It isn't too hard to see,   
> We're in heaven 
> 
> Now our dreams are comin' true   
> Through the good times and the bad   
> I'll be standing there by you   
>    ( _Heaven_ [DJ Sammy version] by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance)

Cocooned in the romance of the evening and their feelings for each other, all thoughts of any others present gone, Jed looked down into Abbey's shining emerald eyes and covered her lips with his in a tender kiss. Abbey responded, her tongue gently slipping between his lips. He tasted of chocolate and whiskey and while the end of the song brought their kiss to an end, it did not end the intimate moment. Abbey's hand caressed Jed's cheek lovingly. 

"I love you, Dr. B." Her voice was husky. 

Jed smiled down on her and bent to kiss her forehead. "And I adore you, Dr. B." 


	18. Summer of Us, The

"What the hell!" Jed exclaimed. He and Abbey had just been pitched forward, their seatbelts snapping to their chests as the car's breaks were slammed on. 

"Sir, ma'am, are you all right?" Ron opened the darkened Plexiglas that divided the front of the SUV from the back and peered back at them. 

"We're okay," Jed assured him after checking with Abbey. "What's going on?" 

"Unexpected delay." 

Jed's blood ran cold. His first thought was always political terrorists, but then he heard Abbey giggling beside him as she peered out the window. 

"Why are you laughing?" he asked. 

"Not much can stop a presidential motorcade, but look what works." She opened the window and the smell of damp wool and the bleating of a few dozen sheep immediately assaulted Jed's senses. They had been stopped by a flock of sheep wandering into the road. 

"Get on with t' lot of ye. Move it ye wee bastards!" An older man with a thick Irish brogue wearing a faded old tweed jacket and cap tried to shove the sheep out of the road. 

Jed spoke to Ron for a moment then hopped out of the car. The old man's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw the President of the United States standing before him. 

"It's sorry I am, Sir, that me wee stubborn bastards are in y're way." 

Jed grinned. "Anything I can do to help?" 

"Oh no," he sounded appalled. 

"Please, I'd like to help. I live on a farm, or I did before I was President and my girls raised sheep for 4-H. I'm not a novice." 

"Go on with ye. Ye pullin' me leg." 

"I assure you, I'm not." 

To prove his point, Jed began prodding the sheep along with the help of a barking black and white Border collie at his side. 

Laughing at the spectacle, Abbey stepped out of the car as well and began snapping pictures. Finally, Jed turned to her. "Instead of laughing at us and taking our picture, why don't you bring your sweet little rear over here and help Seamus and me." 

Abbey grinned and made her way to the older gentleman. "Seamus, is it? Abigail Bartlet." 

The man took her proffered hand with a smile and kissed the back of it. "Ah, a pretty lass like y'erself shouldn't be roundin' up these smelly beasts. Himself and I can take care of it." 

"Well, okay then, have at it." Abbey leaned back against the car with her legs crossed, her camera catching the roll of his eyes that Jed sent her way. 

It took a good half hour to get the sheep cleared out of the way and for Abbey to get the man's full name and address so that once she had her photos developed she could send him a signed picture that Ron had taken of the three of them. She figured that she would also probably enclose some of the ones that she'd taken of him and Jed rounding up the sheep together. 

Finally, with the sheep wandering off into the field, they were on their way again along the twisting, turning road that took them along the breathtaking coast of Connemara with its many coves and inlets, so they could spend some time in the old seaside market town of Clifden, the capitol of Connemara. Set between the Atlantic Ocean and the Twelve Bens mountain range, it was a village of artists and writers and poets and filled with quaint little shops and small pubs. Abbey and Jed ate their lunch, which consisted of a hearty Irish stew and delicious soda bread, on a deck overlooking Clifden harbor with a lone fiddler playing traditional Irish music – some songs that they recognized and some that they did not. While they waited for their food, they chatted with their waitress who was obviously well versed in the history of the area. 

"And where will you be going after your visit to our fair city?" she asked. 

"We're going to be staying at Ballynahinch Castle for a couple days to explore Connemara." 

"Ah, tis a lovely place to stay, very grand. Lots of ancient history in that land. There are times still today a turf cutter will unearth relics of ancient farmsteads and tombs that were covered over by the bogs. You'll also see a lot of standing stones and ritual monuments left by the Celts and the ruins of the monasteries built along the coast by the Irish saints that were destroyed by the marauding Vikings." 

"I thought the Vikings hit the east and the south," Abbey said. 

"Ah, they hit the west too. T'was only the north ruled by the mighty O'Neills that kept them out. But, t'was not all bad. The Vikings were more than marauders. Sure an they came in their longships to sack the monasteries and steal the wealth, but many of them also stayed and brought with them a culture of trade and the development of a merchant class. They married Celtic lasses and brought to the gene pool the pretty red hair and fair eyes that have so defined the Irish, yourself included." 

"Vikings, you say," Jed's eyes danced as he gazed at his wife and Abbey gave a soft sigh. She knew she would be in for some good-natured ribbing on this one. Jed loved to tweak her about her pirate/privateer ancestor and adding the chance of Viking marauders and Irish warriors to her gene pool would only incite him to more. But here she could give as good as she got. Those crystal blue eyes of his most certainly did not come from any dark Celt. 

After lunch they browsed through art galleries and bookstores, purchased some Irish farmhouse cheese at the Connemara Hamper and gorgeous carved walking sticks at Faoin Tuath after which they bought ice cream cones at An Siopa Deas to enjoy while sitting on a bench at the edge of the harbor watching the waves lap at the sand and listening to the gulls squawk. 

"I wish Americans knew as much about their history as the Irish," Jed mused. "They just don't seem to be interested." 

"I know and I agree with you. But in a way it's understandable. The people who came to America wanted to forget the troubles that caused them to leave their past behind. They wanted to look to the future, to what comes next, not what happened in the past. I think that's still the case. We're always looking forward to the future, to new advances, new accomplishments. It's what makes us such an optimistic people." 

"You're right and, of course, that's one of the many wonderful things about our country. But, I just wish that people would understand that they should look to the past to help with the troubles of the present. You know the old saying 'history repeats itself'." 

"You're right, Jed. They should. There should be a better balance. People should know and understand where they come from." She leaned her head on his shoulder and finished the last bite of her cone. 

"You ready to head out?" he asked. 

She nodded and they made their way back to the awaiting motorcade. 

**** 

Connemara in the 18th century was still considered by the rest of the country as a wild, strange and dangerous place where ancient habits and customs held sway, and there was still the feel of that remoteness as the motorcade carrying Jed and Abbey Bartlet moved inland into the heart of the district. Basically a peninsula surrounded on three sides by the ocean, it was a sparsely inhabited wild and desolate land made up of bogs, moors, heaths, lakes and mountains. They skirted by lake after lake surrounded by flat lonely bogland with the misty mountains rising in the background until after fifteen minutes of driving through the scenic countryside, they came to the majestic Ballynahinch Castle. Nestled at the foothills of the low-rising mountains on 450 acres of emerald fields and woodlands, the stone manor rose imposingly in front of the winding dark blue Ballynahinch River. 

They were greeted at the entrance by the proprietor Peter O'Flaherty who led them into the casually elegant hotel. Immediately, they were enveloped in the atmosphere of an 18th century country manor house. The rooms were furnished with elegant antiques that were set next to roaring fireplaces in oak paneled drawing rooms and in the library. The walls were covered with oil paintings of the castle's former owners and of the remote and beautiful countryside. After a quick tour of the public rooms along with the pub and the award winning four-star Owenmore restaurant that was on the premises, they were led from the main building to a far wing. 

"This is our luxury wing with the river view suites," Peter told them. "We've cleared it for the days that you'll be with us so you'll have it all to yourself." He opened the door to the sitting room of the suite where an antique sofa and Windsor chairs sat before the fire that burned in the fireplace. A bottle of champagne was chilling in an elegant silver ice bucket that sat on the delicately carved Irish pine coffee table along with two glasses and vases of fresh flowers. "Cocktails are served in the drawing room between six and seven and the dining room is open from five to eleven. I've reserved a smaller drawing room off the library for you both if you decide that you would prefer privacy." 

"Thank you, Peter. We appreciate all the steps you've taken to make our stay here possible." Jed shook his hand. 

Peter grinned. "We're glad you chose the Ballynahinch and we hope you enjoy your stay with us." 

"I'm sure we will," Abbey smiled. "This is absolutely lovely, Peter. Thank you." 

"Well, I'll leave you then. Please ring if there is anything we can do for you." 

Once Peter left, Abbey moved from the sitting room through the door that led to the bedroom. The tastefully decorated room was dominated by a four poster king sized bed that faced nearly floor to ceiling windows with sweeping panoramic views of the river, the woodlands, and the mist shrouded mountains. Beside the bed, another fire burned in a smaller stone fireplace and end tables held lovely vases of flowers and scented candles just waiting to be lit for romantic nights. 

"Isn't it beautiful, Jed." Abbey let herself fall back onto the bed then propped herself up on her elbows. "Look at this, we can laze around here in bed and look out into the countryside. It's almost like we're actually outside." 

Jed let himself fall on the bed beside her then turned onto his side, his hand resting on her belly. "I'd rather laze around here in bed and look at you. What time is it anyway?" He glanced down at his watch and answered his own question. "It's only five o' clock. We have plenty of time to kill until cocktails." He threw his thigh over her legs and propped himself over her supine body. 

"Oh yeah?" Her breath hitched in her throat. "And just how do you suggest we kill that time?" 

Jed touched his lips to hers, his chest pushing her down until she was flat on her back. "If I have to tell you, I must not be doing it right." His finger traced over the seam of her jeans where it ran down between her thighs and Abbey swallowed tightly. 

"Oh, you do it right, babe," her voice was husky. "You sure do it right." 

**** 

Abbey felt her lover's lips on the back of her neck then trace along to the back of her ear and she shivered in response. She was deep in the throes of what was turning out to be a very erotic dream. The man's warm hand slid over the curve of her hip, then up under her short satin teddy to rest only momentarily on her belly. He traced the line of her lacy edged panties and she sighed with the need for more of his velvet touch. His fingers slipped under the lace and stroked the soft curls beneath. It had to be a selkie magically teasing her so. She sighed contentedly with the sweet gentle caresses until those tantalizing fingers slipped into the dampening cleft hidden by the curls and her breath caught in her throat. Eyes still closed, she rolled to her back and parted her thighs wanting more from him – so much more. When one blunt fingertip found her little nub of pleasure and began to circle around it, she arched and grasped at the bed covers. It was so good, so damn good. She felt his mouth warm and intoxicating covering her nipple through the satin of her teddy licking at the hardening tip even as his fingers continued the magic between her thighs. The tension grew in her belly, her breath becoming uneven and when he slid both his index and middle fingers inside of her while continuing to stroke her swollen clitoris with his thumb, she moaned softly, thrusting her hips up at him. He kept up the pace, his teeth now running lightly over the nipple he had hardened to a tight point. Her heart began to race and her breath came in soft whimpering gasps while her head moved restlessly from side to side on the pillow until with sharp cry, her back arched, her legs tightened and her internal muscles contracted on the fingers that were sliding inside her warm wet sheath, squeezing him strongly as she beautifully came for him. Only when the contractions had subsided did he remove his fingers, caressing her gently again before leaving for good. The kiss he placed to the soft curls of her mound before letting her panties fall back in place caused another soft sigh to escape her lips. And then he lay his body over her. He was fully clothed, she could feel the harsh fabric of denim against the bare skin of her thighs and he kissed her. 

Jed chuckled, as her eyes remained closed. "Aren't you ready to wake up yet, sleeping beauty?" he asked. 

"No, I'm having a very nice dream." 

"Nice, is it? Just nice?" 

"More than nice. Sensual and erotic." She opened her eyes widening them with shock when she saw her husband. "Wait a minute. You're not a selkie at all." 

"Is that who you dreamed was making you squirm and cry out like that?" he asked. "Honestly, Abbey, you never opened your eyes once. I could have been anyone with my hand between your legs." 

"With the way you were making me feel with that hand between my legs, I wouldn't have cared if you were Peter O'Flaherty himself." 

"Abigail!" Jed sat up affronted. Abbey gave a soft laugh. 

"Relax, Jed. I knew it was you all the time." 

"You did not." 

"Well, maybe not the whole time. It started out rather dreamy when you were kissing my neck. But the minute you put your hand between my legs, I woke up and knew it was you." 

"You never opened your eyes." 

"I have five senses, darlin, and they are all very attuned when it comes to you. I know how you smell. I know the feel of your touch. I know the sound of your breathing when you're getting all hot and bothered and I know the way that you taste when you kiss me. And," She rolled over and wagged a finger in his face. "I know that you had a cigarette already this morning, I tasted it on your tongue, along with the coffee. Did you bring any for me?" 

"Cigarettes?" 

She lifted a brow at him, the words "not funny" flashing in her eyes and he knew better than to continue that line of teasing. 

"You meant coffee." He stood and made his way to the tray to pour her a cup adding just the right amount of cream. "Is the Pope catholic." 

"I'm thinking he might be." She accepted the mug, sipping the brew with an appreciative sigh. It was then that she realized it was barely light out and her husband was fully dressed in old jeans and a flannel shirt. 

"So, why are you up at the ass crack of dawn anyway?" 

"We're going hiking and fishing today." 

"Yes." 

"And early morning is the best time to fish." 

"And you figured I'd be in a better humor if you woke me up with an orgasm." 

"Was I wrong?" 

"Absolutely not." She spread strawberry jam on the warm croissant that had arrived with the coffee. 

"Besides, you were so damn sexy laying there with your hair all tousled and your little nightie slipping up over your hip. I couldn't resist." 

"I'm sure." She held out a piece of croissant to him, which he proceeded to eat from her fingertips. 

"It's true. Your body calls to me like some kind of siren song." 

"Really, what does it say?" 

"It says 'look at me, Jed, aren't I beautiful? Don't I have the softest skin the color of the purest cream? Don't you want to touch me, to taste me? Look at the curve of my hip. Is it not the most enticing thing you've ever seen? Don't you want to run your hand over the gentle slope of such a feminine curve? Look at my breasts. Aren't they just the most gorgeous, responsive tits in the world? Look at the way my nipples press against the satin just begging you to touch them. Lift up the nightie and take one into your mouth. You know that you love strawberries and cream. And, don't forget the secret, mysterious triangle between my thighs. Doesn't it have the softest pretty copper curls? Don't you want to run your fingers over them? Come on, Jed, you know you're aching to kiss me there...'" 

Getting quite turned on again by his words, Abbey waved her white napkin in surrender. "If you want to get out there fishing, I think you better stop right there." 

Jed chuckled and stood. He was definitely getting a little carried away and he'd already been aroused enough making Abbey come. "The woman at the pub put together a nice picnic hamper for us and I got us each a pair of these." He held up two pairs of hip waders. Abbey snorted. 

"I am NOT wearing those." 

"Your legs will get all wet." 

"No, they won't. I don't need to wade out into the river up to my hips to catch a fish. I'll wear my wellies and I'll be fine up to my calves." 

"You'll be sorry if you can't get cast out far enough for salmon." 

"I think I'll be able to live with the disappointment," she assured him. 

**** 

A couple hours later after a nice long hike along the sometimes quick racing, sometimes placid Ballynahinch River, Abbey stood in the water up to her calves with her husband's arms wrapped around her from behind as he helped her to cast quickly and repeatedly out into the river. His hands brushed against her breasts with each cast forward. 

"You wouldn't be trying to cop a feel while helping me out here would you, boyo?" Abbey teased. 

"Nothing further from my mind, ma'am." 

She turned to see a devilish little glint in his eyes. "I'm sure. Look, I don't have the patience for fishing. I'm going back to the blanket to read for a bit. You go ahead and enjoy yourself." 

"Are you sure? I don't want you to be bored." 

"I'm not bored. I brought along a book." 

Abbey made her way back to the blanket, slipping off the knee high green wellies and putting her lightweight hiking boots back on. She'd told Jed she was going to read but she found her attention wandering from the written word to watching him fish – the Dartmouth professor turned outdoorsman. He stood in the river up to mid-thigh wearing his hip waders over the green and navy plaid flannel shirt, a Red Sox baseball cap shielding his eyes from the sun. A smile touched her lips as she watched him repeatedly cast into the shining river trying to tempt a silvery salmon into jumping for his fly lure. She took a few pictures then stretched out on the blanket simply watching him, enjoying this moment in time when her extremely busy husband was completely relaxed and stress free. 

She must have dozed off because she was awakened when a shadow seemed to have crossed the sun. 

"Abigail, look what I've got." Jed's voice was soft, enticing. 

"Mmmm...what?" She opened her eyes and was face to face with a bug-eyed salmon. "JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH!" She jumped up quickly, wide-awake in two seconds flat. Jed laughed at her reaction. "It's not FUNNY," she protested. "You scared the bejesus out of me." 

"It's just a fish, Abbey." 

"Yeah? How'd you like to wake up face to face with a disgusting fish in your face." 

"It's not disgusting at all. It's a beaut." He dropped it into the container he'd been given to store any fish that he caught. 

"You're keeping it?" 

"Sure. Peter said that the kitchen staff would smoke anything that we caught so we could bring it home and show off." 

"Well, I do love a good smoked salmon." 

"I know you do. And speaking of food. I'm getting hungry. Are you ready to eat some lunch?" 

"Sounds good to me." Abbey opened the picnic hamper and began to spread out the delicious meal that had been packed for them while Jed went to the water's edge where he had left a bottle of wine to chill in the icy river. When they had finished their lunch and were feeling rather full and lazy, Jed pulled out the first edition of Yeats _The Celtic Twilight_ that he had purchased at Kenny's and leaned back against a tree trunk to read. Abbey laid her head on his lap and requested that he read to her. She loved to listen to him read, loved the timbre and rhythm of his voice. She had known of Jed's oratory prowess long before the rest of the world. 

"This is from 'A Visionary'," he said. " _A young man came to see me at my lodgings the other night, and began to talk of the making of the earth and the heavens and much else. I questioned him about his life and his doings. He had written many poems and painted many mystical designs since we met last, but latterly had neither written nor painted, for his whole heart was set upon making his mind strong, vigorous, and calm, and the emotional life of the artist was bad for him, he feared. He recited his poems readily, however. He had them all in his memory. Some indeed had never been written down. They, with their wild music as of winds blowing in the reeds, seemed to me the very inmost voice of Celtic sadness, and of Celtic longing for infinite things the world has never seen..._ " 

He read to her for well over an hour, his fingers drifting lovingly through her silky hair and over her brow until a chill wind blew down through the valley and gray clouds foreshadowed yet another rainstorm and they decided to pack up and remove themselves to the safety of their suite. 

**** 

Abbey stepped into the sitting room from the bedroom more undressed than dressed. What she was about to say was lost as her eyes focused on the sight of her extremely attractive husband. Jed was reading in front of the fireplace in one of the Windsor chairs with a glass of Irish whiskey in one hand and his book in the other, the flames of the fire shining in his bronze hair. He wore the thick blue Aran sweater she had purchased for him, dark brown corduroys and loafers. 

"Did you have a nice chat with Leo?" she asked, remembering what she had been about to say while she closed her purple bra over her full breasts and fiddling with the front clasp. 

Jed looked up at her over the rim of his glasses, his sapphire eyes heating as he took in her half naked form and the way her hands squeezed her breasts together to get the bra to clasp. She felt that sexy gaze all the way to her knees. 

"I did. Brace yourself, though. Mallory is now a married woman again." 

"What! I didn't even know that she was serious about anyone." 

"Remember that man she was telling us that she met when he brought his class to D.C. on a field trip." 

"Paul something or other." 

"Shoenfeld. Well, evidently they kept in touch and she went out to Los Angeles to see him and they hit it off and got married. She's up and left her job and is moving to California." 

"That was awfully sudden, don't you think?' 

"I do think. She told Leo to tell us that it was 'love at first sight' and when you feel a connection like that you can't turn your back on it and that Aunt Abbey would know exactly what she was talking about. Care to elaborate?" 

Abbey blushed and slipped the deep purple silk cocktail dress over her head. "I told her once that when I met you it was love at first sight and that when you feel a connection like that you can't turn your back on it." 

"Sage advice." 

"Well, yes." She turned her back so Jed could zip her up. "But, I didn't mean that you had to act on it so quickly. I may have fallen for you in one night but we waited over a year to get married." 

"A year and four months to be exact. But, we were in school. I probably would have asked you a whole lot sooner if it wasn't for that and the question of our post graduate educations." 

"Really, you would have asked me sooner?" 

"Hell yes, woman. I wanted to marry you long before I got up the guts to ask you. What about you?" He turned her around in his arms. "Would you have married me sooner if I'd asked?" 

"I'd like to say no, that I would have deliberated and made sure that we were a good match, but I remember exactly how I felt about you. I was doodling 'Mrs. Jed Bartlet' on pieces of paper after our first date, so yeah, I'd have married you sooner. What does Leo think of the guy?" 

"He hasn't met him yet." 

"What do you mean? He didn't go to the wedding?" Abbey closed her eyes praying that Leo had not said he was too busy. 

"He wasn't invited. Paul and Mallory eloped while she was in California. Evidently they didn't want the hoopla of a big wedding or the media attention. They're honeymooning in Carmel and then Mallory is going to bring him home to meet Leo, Jenny and old Jeffrey." 

"How's Leo taking it?" 

"You know Leo. Stoic as ever. But, how could she do that, Abbey? How could she have taken that away from him? She's his only daughter and she took away one of the most proud and bittersweet moments of his life – the chance to walk her down the aisle. She eloped with Billy O'Brien and now she's eloped with Paul." 

"Jed, she was seventeen years old when she eloped with Billy and desperate to get out of an unhappy household. Six months of disillusionment later, it was over and she was home." 

"I know that. I still don't know why she kept the prick's name. But that's neither here nor there. She's older this time and while she IS impulsive, she's got a good head on her shoulders, at least most of the time." 

"Jenny must be terribly disappointed." Abbey's thoughts wandered to her good friend. "As you said, she is their only child, Jenny's only daughter and she took way the joy and excitement of planning a wedding together. One of those indelible mother/daughter moments." Abbey stopped herself and shook her head. "Would you listen to me? I'm responding like a mother. Mallory is an adult. It was her marriage ceremony, not her parents' ceremony and she had every right to do it the way that made her comfortable." 

"Yeah, well she better not give our darling daughters any ideas," Jed grumbled. 

"Really?" Abbey sat on his lap and slid his glasses off his face. "You're looking forward to your daughters getting married, are you?" 

"Bite your tongue, Abigail," he shuddered. "Ellie is doing fine as a career woman and Zoey is still in school." 

"Graduate school, and so were we when we got married." 

"Like I said, bite your tongue, Abigail, or I'll bite it for you." He placed a hand behind her neck pulling her face toward him to kiss her, his teeth nibbling on her tongue. Abbey giggled against his lips. 

"Okay, I get the message. Now, let's go eat, I'm starving." 


	19. Summer of Us, The

Jed's quick briefing after supper had taken longer than he had anticipated – the Middle East, per usual, being the reason. Tensions in the area were always a concern, quite frequently a major concern. It hadn't gotten to major yet and he hoped that it would remain that way until at least after the state visit to England. He was enjoying this time alone with Abbey – no interruptions and no children – just the two of them rekindling the fire that was always smoldering in their relationship. 

As he walked down the empty hall of the river wing with his agents trailing behind him, his mind moved from the Middle East to thoughts of his wife. He grinned to himself as he thought about the admiring looks that had been cast her way when they entered the restaurant that night. His wife had the kind of looks that turned heads no matter what she wore, but when she was dressed to the nines that became even more pronounced. The purple and black cocktail dress had clung to her full breasts; the square neckline cut low cut enough for a hint of tasteful cleavage and the slit in the side revealing enough shapely thigh to cause any man to salivate. He'd spent much of the evening with his hand under the table caressing that thigh in anticipation of more recreational activity after supper and now he hoped that she had not already shut the lights and gone to bed. 

He entered the suite and was not hopeful. The lights were out and the bedroom door shut, no light emanating from underneath. Disappointment took the air out of his sails but he moved quietly hoping not to wake her. Slowly, he opened the bedroom door surprised to see firelight flickering on the walls. 

"It's about time you got back." 

The throaty sound of his wife's voice caused him to turn toward the bed, his mouth immediately going dry. Abbey was reclining back against the soft pillows completely naked. The light of the many candles danced along her creamy skin and in her fiery hair creating enticing, erotic shadows. 

"Cat got your tongue?" She took a sip from the glass of Baileys in her hand. 

"Uh...no...I...uh...thought you were sleeping." For an articulate man, he sure sounded like an idiot. A sly knowing grin crossed Abbey's face. She knew the power she welded over him. Hadn't he told her that just this morning? She dipped a finger into the Baileys and circled it over each nipple. 

"They've been waiting for you, Jed," she purred. "Wouldn't you like a taste?" 

Ahhh... so it was to be the seductive vixen tonight. He nearly moaned aloud at the thought, his arousal nearly instantaneous. 

"You know I would." 

"And what about here?" Abbey's hand moved to cover the shadowy mound at the apex of her thighs. "Don't you want to run your fingers over me here?" Her thighs parted just enough to tantalize. "Don't you want to kiss me here?" 

Jed did moan then, a helpless male sound of appreciation that caused a throaty laugh from Abbey. 

"You're killing me, woman." He moved closer to the bed, his penis already a hard bulge against his pants. 

Abbey gave another sexy little laugh and got to her knees, meeting him at the edge of the bed, her luxurious strawberry tresses falling in silky shining waves over her bare shoulders and back. Jed pushed a few strands away from where they were hiding her pretty rosy nipples from his view and lifted the luscious soft mound of her breast, bending his head to slip the tasty nipple between his lips. Baileys and Abbey – a delicious combination. Abbey's head fell back as she reveled in the feel of his mouth on her and as his tongue-sliding foray turned into a more demanding suckle that reverberated all the way to her womb, she moaned, her fingers threading through his thick hair to hold him to her breast. While he suckled at one nipple, he took a quick time out to wet his thumb with his tongue then moved his hand to her other breast lest it become lonely for attention and slid that dampened thumb over the peak, feeling it pucker and harden. He continued on swirling her nipple around his tongue, sucking hard on it then laving it gently until he felt her breathing quicken and her hips begin to move anxiously in that age old rhythm that told him she was ready for more. His hand moved from her breast trailing down over her ribs and her belly to settle on those curls that had asked so sweetly for his touch. Abbey grabbed his wrist before his fingers were able deepen the touch. "Wait. You're overdressed for this. She looked him straight in the eye, green eyes blazing with desire and ran her fingertips over the evidence of his extreme desire for her. 

"Abbey..." He groaned as he looked down past her nipples that were still glistening wet and distended from his suckling to the small hand that was stroking his crotch. 

She smiled...a sultry vixen of a smile. "Can Old Hickory come out to play?" 

"I think he better before he breaks the zipper of these pants." 

With a soft laugh, she did away with his belt and gently eased the zipper down over the tight bulge careful not to injure her playmate. Sliding his pants down over his hips, she ran her tongue over her full lower lip in appreciation of the heavy tent in his underwear. She bent and he thought she meant to do away with his boxer/briefs but instead she pressed her lips to the bulge and blew against the cotton fabric. As soon as the warmth of her breath surrounded his penis, he groaned. 

"Oh, hot damn, Abbey. That feels good." 

Spurred on by his comments, she trailed her tongue over him through the fabric teasing and taunting him with what was to come. 

"Abbey...PLEASE." The pleading tone to his voice let her know that she had pushed him far enough. She eased his underwear down, the tingling and throbbing between her thighs growing stronger as she revealed his rock hard straining penis. 

"I guess you really do want to come out and play." Her eyes alight with admiration, she traced one fingertip over his smooth satiny length watching the milky bead of liquid form at the tip in response. She cupped his heavy testicles in one hand and bent to kiss away that drop of liquid only to watch another take its place before she slid him fully into her mouth. Jed groaned harshly, his hands tightening in her hair. After only a few sliding strokes from her mouth and her teasing little tongue, it was his turn to slow things down. 

"Wait...oh God, baby...stop." 

Abbey stopped mid slide and looked up at him with his penis still half in her mouth. Jed almost came in that moment and had to pull away from her. "I want to come when I'm fucking you, not now." 

"I'd be a fool to argue with that." Abbey released him and lay back against the pillows again watching him quickly divest himself of his sweater revealing his broad masculine chest. Expecting him to enter her right away, she parted her thighs for him holding her breath as he crawled between her legs, but instead of continuing up her body, he paused. 

"Jed?" The sultry tone to her voice was gone now, replaced by the voice of aching need. 

"I believe you asked me earlier if I might want to kiss you here. Turns out that I do." He bent his head pressing kisses to the most intimate part of her body. His tongue slid out to lave the delicate swollen flesh teasing and soothing until she was very nearly sobbing with the pleasure of it all and the need to have him inside her. Before she could ask for what she so desperately wanted, he was suddenly there, thick and hard at her entrance. 

"Oh yeah, Jed," she moaned. "PLEASE, I need you inside me." Her hands moved up over his chest to his back finally resting on his rear to urge him home. The wanton little vixen had been replaced by this pleading, beautiful, mass of need that squirmed sensuously beneath him. He couldn't hold out much longer himself. Leaning forward to kiss his lovely, sexy wife, he slid his tongue into her mouth at the same time he thrust his thick shaft all the way into her. She cried out against his lips, her body arching beneath him pressing her hard nipples into his chest. He paused momentarily to allow her body to relax and accept his powerful entry, then he gently began to rock against her, his long measured thrusts filling her to capacity then withdrawing in a way that was so achingly sweet and loving that it brought tears to Abbey's eyes. Kissing away one of those tears of sublime pleasure and feeling her fingers digging into his rear urging him for more, Jed suddenly picked up the pace, lifting and carrying them both to edge and then catapulting them over that edge out to the heavens, their harsh cries of release reverberating through the room. 

When they'd finally come down from the high, their bodies still coated in a fine sheen of perspiration, Abbey turned onto her side and Jed spooned her from behind, his hands still caressing her heated flesh, his lips still nibbling at her delectable neck. 

Abbey loved the feel of him behind her, the rough hair on his chest pressed into her back, his groin pressed warmly against her rear, his legs tangled with hers. She grasped the wandering hand that was tracing patterns over her breast and kissed the back of it. "I've missed sleeping in the nude with you," she sighed. 

"What on earth did I ever do to deserve such a beautiful, erotic wife?" 

Abbey gave a sleepy laugh, her fingers moving absently over the soft hair on his forearm. "You made me this way, Jed." 

He smiled and suckled gently on her earlobe. "I'd like to believe that, but your capability for passion is part of who you are." 

"Maybe." Abbey was drifting off; her eyes closed her voice husky now with sleep not passion. "But you're the one who sparked that passion." She took one of his hands and placed it over her breast and pulled the other between her legs enjoying the feel of possession. "Only you, Jed. Only you." 

Jed smiled again as he felt her going slack in his arms and he gently kissed her cheek. "Good night, mo gra. Tá mo chroí istigh ionat." 

"My heart is within you too, Jed." And with that, Abbey fell asleep wrapped in the arms of the man she loved. 

**** 

After enjoying a rare morning to sleep in and partake of a delicious breakfast in bed, Abbey and Jed dressed for another day of sightseeing. This time they were headed north through the lonely Inagh Valley on the skirts of Connemara National Park and through the mountainous region of the Twelve Bens. On each side of them, the desperation with which the Irish had tried to survive in such an inhospitable landscape was quite apparent. On one side, a lone red fox ran skittishly through the striated plough lines of the flat scrubgrass covered peat bog where turf had been cut for generations. On the other side, walled in pastures made their way up the steep hillsides almost to the very tops of the mountains – some of them home to flocks of grazing white woolly black faced sheep. It was hard to believe that people actually cleared the mountains that high up, but it showed just how hard the people of Connemara had worked to scratch out a living and make the land produce for them. 

The drive continued on to the pretty village of Leenane on Killary Harbor where they donned waterproof windbreakers over their heavy sweaters and hopped on board a catamaran called _The Connemara Lady_ to sail out along Ireland's only fjord. The cloud-shrouded mountains that rose on each side of the narrow inlet kept the water calm and the wind at bay so that Abbey and Jed were able to enjoy the time out on the deck admiring the spectacular scenery of the Mweelrea mountains to one side and the Twelve Bens on the other, while staring silently as they passed the many deserted villages, abandoned since the famine times that dotted the northern shore of the fjord. 

As they passed one particular abandoned village, Jed felt Abbey's cold small hand wrap around his. "It's so sad," she said softly "They're like ghost towns. When you think about all those people who died here – entire families starving to death – I can't imagine what it would be like to watch your children dying and to know there was nothing you could do to save them." 

Jed gazed down on her, into mossy green eyes shining with tears and he crossed himself. "They're with God now, sweetheart." 

Abbey nodded but he could see that that was not enough solace for her mother's soul. His gaze turned from her to the place where so many people had suffered. He thought for a moment what it must have felt like to be a man in those times – unable to provide for his family, unable to put food on the table. To be completely impotent to save the woman he held in his arms at night or the children they had created together and to watch them die one by one. To know they were counting on him to somehow bring home food and not to be able to do so. He saw the faces of his own children and wondered how many times he had heard the whining phrase "Daddy, I'm hungry" and he had provided a snack or meal. What must it have been like to hear that plea and not to be able to do a thing about it? His own eyes grew as shiny as Abbey's and he clenched her hand tightly. "But I can't imagine it either." 

The boat continued on through the passage which narrowed to only 250 yards at the mouth of the harbor where it opened up to the sea. As soon as they broke from the shelter of the mountains onto the open sea, the chill wind buffeted them snapping their windbreakers against their bodies and whipping their hair about their faces. But rather than retreat inside where it was warmer, they stayed on the deck delighted by not only the view but the school of dolphins that splashed around them. 

By the time they arrived at a quaint little café on the cove for lunch, they were chilled to the bone. A table was set up for them by the smoldering little peat fire and between the fire, coffee and the hearty soup and bread they dined on, they soon grew warm and toasty. Sitting across from Jed, Abbey twisted her long tangled hair into a knot at the nape of her neck; and with her cheeks rosy from the cold and the fire, her jade eyes sparkling from their invigorating sail and not a lick of make up save for lip balm and little mascara, she looked remarkably youthful and so pretty he could only stare. His wife seemed to radiate life, she always had. It was what had drawn him to her in the first place. 

Staring into the fire, lost in thought, Abbey's attention was brought back to the present when Jed took her hand. 

"What are you thinking about?" he asked. 

"How great that sail was, and how amazing this trip has been. I know I mentioned coming back here riding with girls next year, but I've been thinking that I'd also like to come back with the twins when they're a little older. Maybe when you're out of office and it won't be such a logistical nightmare for the Service. I think they'd have a really good time." 

"I think it would be a great trip. They'd have a blast riding bikes on the Arans and fishing and hiking and sailing and tromping through castles – all of it." 

Abbey smiled; she could already see Jed's enthusiasm for the idea growing. She could almost picture how much he was going to enjoy showing "his" Ireland to their children complete with the lectures their elder daughters had endured (and secretly enjoyed) on the many trips he had taken with them. 

After their simple lunch, they hopped back in the car for the quick trip back into the mountains where they stopped at the magnificent Kylemore Abbey. Situated at the foot of a sharply rising mountain with Lough Pollacappul spread out before it, the neo-gothic structure was quite breathtaking. As they stepped out of the car to be greeted by Mother Abbess Magdalena Fitzgibbon, Abbey and Jed both noticed that high in the hills above the Abbey was a large statue of Christ with his arms outstretched to the valley below and they paused for a few moments to admire it. Then, as they were lead into the large stone castle that was now an international girls school run by the Benedictine nuns, Mother Magdalena gave them the sad history of the building. 

"This will probably interest you, ma'am," the Abbess turned to Abbey. "The man who built this castle was a surgeon from London named Mitchell Henry. He and his young wife Margaret visited Connemara on their honeymoon and Margaret was quite taken by the area. At that point all that stood here was Kylemore Lodge, a hunting lodge. At the death of his father, Mitchell received a large inheritance and left medicine to take over as chairman of the family textile firm and he used the money to start construction on this grand home for his wife. The building of the castle was actually a Godsend to the area as yet another crop failure had left the people of Connemara without food or provisions and Mitchell was able to hire them on and pay them a respectable wage, which helped them to survive. As you can well imagine, he was a very popular well-liked man and in 1871 he was elected to Parliament to represent Galway. It was in 1874 that tragedy struck. Mitchell's beloved wife Margaret contracted Nile Fever while on a trip to Egypt and died. He had her body brought back here to Kylemore and laid her to rest in a mausoleum on the grounds." 

"How awful," Abbey shuddered as she and Jed followed Mother Magdalena to the large window facing the east where she pointed out a beautiful gray, stone gothic church on the banks of the lake. 

"He built the church as a memorial chapel to her memory." 

"Is it possible to visit the church?" Jed asked. 

"Of course." 

"So what happened to Mitchell?" Abbey wondered. 

"He was too grief stricken to stay here at the place that his wife loved so much and he abandoned the castle. It was empty for quite a few years until World War I. During the years of religious persecution here in Ireland, the daughters of Irish nobility were sent to the Benedictine Abbey in Ypres, Belgium. However, with the constant bombardment of Belgium during the war, it was determined that they must leave. With the help of British forces, the nuns made their way to Calais and escaped over the channel to Dover. Eventually they made it to Ireland and with the help of Archbishop Tuam they settled here at Kylemore Castle, which then became known as it is today as Kylemore Abbey. The statue of Christ that you see on Duchruach Mountain behind us was put there in 1932 in thanksgiving of the nuns' safe delivery to this haven." 

The doors to the room opened and Mother Magdalena turned sharply to see who was interrupting her private tour, her eyes rolling heavenward when she saw the group of tittering nuns who could no longer wait to meet the handsome Irish Catholic American president. Abbey had to bite back a smile as the nuns surrounded Jed; herself virtually ignored as they doted on her husband and himself enjoying every minute of it. 

"You know," she said as they strolled arm and arm along a wooded path by the shore of the lake toward the miniature gothic cathedral. "I'd be extremely jealous right now if that group of women were anything but nuns." 

Jed chuckled and looked down into his wife's smiling impish face. "Babe, there is no woman that can hold a candle to you, least of all a bunch of nuns. Besides they were just excited because I'm an Irish Catholic President." 

"Oh, come on, Jed. They were practically salivating over you." 

"Nuns do NOT salivate, my darling wife. And, bite your blasphemous tongue as we enter here the house of the Lord." 

They stepped past the angelic gargoyles that guarded the entrance and after dipping their fingertips in holy water and crossing themselves, they entered the beautiful inner sanctum. A feeling of holiness and reverence immediately reached out to embrace both Abbey and Jed as it had since they were children; their faith ingrained into the make up of their personalities. As they moved throughout the church, they took in the beautiful architecture of the building – the impressive gothic arches that formed the ceiling and that were held up by beautiful columns made from Connemara marble along with a stunning stained glass window depicting the five graces: Fortitude, Faith, Charity, Hope and Chastity. After taking in their surroundings for a little while, they moved to the front of the church where they lit candles for each member of their family and knelt together side by side in prayer. When they exited the church, they were on a stone deck surrounded by trees that jut forth toward the edge of the lake. Enveloped by the peace and serenity of both the church and the setting with the all the splendor of God's creation spread before them in the glistening deep blue lake and rising foothills, they leaned forward over the rail shoulder to shoulder to experience the utter tranquility of this special moment in time. 

Later, after a stroll through the six-acre Victorian walled garden, they were given a special treat. It was a lovely sunny day, something that was not always the case in Ireland, so the nuns had set up a table complete with formal linen and china beside the mountain stream that meandered through the garden and served them tea right there on its banks. Surrounded by the scent of the fragrant flowers and herbs and serenaded by the gurgling of the rushing brook beside them, Abbey and Jed sipped their tea and bit into delicious fluffy scones smeared with strawberry jam and heavy cream. 

"What a beautiful end to the day," Abbey sighed, leaning back in her chair. 

"You aren't going to finish that?" Jed eyed her half-eaten scone. 

Abbey shook her head negatively. "Be my guest." 

Jed smeared the scone with jam and cream and took a large bite. Abbey smiled at him affectionately and reached a finger out to remove the excess cream at the corner of his mouth, her smile widening as she brought the finger to her own lips and licked the cream off. She watched the flicker of interest in Jed's eyes; he was so very, very predictable. 

"You know, this isn't exactly the end of the day," he said taking another bite. 

"No?" 

"Absolutely not." 

"Just what do you have planned?" 

"You'll find out soon enough." 

**** 

After finishing their tea, they visited the pottery studio where they were able to watch the famous Kylemore Pottery being made, both of them fascinated by the process. They then moved into the craft store where they were able to purchase a few unique pieces of pottery along with jams made by the nuns and where Abbey found and bought a lovely rosary made of Connemara green marble with an intricate Celtic cross hanging from the chain. All proceeds from their purchases and indeed all purchases went to the upkeep of the Benedictine way. 

By the time they left the store to make their way to the motorcade, gray clouds had covered the blue sky and rain pelted them. Damp and cold, they asked Coop to turn the heat up then snuggled up in the back of the car. Jed sighed with contentment as it didn't take long for Abbey to fall asleep against him; unlike himself, his wife could fall asleep anywhere – most probably due to her profession and motherhood which made her used to catching a nap whenever and wherever she could. He didn't mind. He enjoyed the feel her snuggled up in his arms, her head heavy against his shoulder. He let her sleep until the car stopped in front of Ballynahinch. 

"Wake up, beautiful." he spoke softly against the top of her head. 

"Hmmm..." She stirred in his arms yawning. "Where are we?" 

"Back at the hotel. Time to wake up." 

"I'm awake." She sat up rubbing her eyes. 

"Sure you are." He tucked a few strands of wavy hair back behind her ear and then helped her out of the car. 

Neither of them was particularly hungry after their late afternoon tea, so instead of heading down to the dining room for supper, they donned their bathing suits and bathrobes and made their way down to the pool for a refreshing wake up swim. Since they were the only occupants of the river wing, Jed knew they would have complete privacy in the pool, but he still spoke briefly with Ron to insure they were completely alone. Once they stepped outside the doors to the pool, those doors were firmly locked behind them. It was a cold misty night, the steam rising off the outdoor heated pool. Abbey quickly divested herself of her warm terrycloth bathrobe, immediately shivering as the cold damp air touched her bare skin. Jed only quickly had a glimpse of a cherry red bikini before his wife dove into the pool. 

"Hurry up," she called out to him. "The water is so warm." Treading water in the deep end, her eyes widened as her husband not only divested himself of the warm bathrobe but also of his navy blue swimming trunks. 

He stood at the edge of the pool, surrounded by the swirling mists, magnificently nude and completely masculine in a primitive way that caused Abbey's blood to heat. He dove in and swam up next to her. 

"You didn't say anything about skinny dipping," she said kissing a drop of water from his nose. 

"I didn't want to offend your delicate sensibilities." 

Abbey's laughter filled the air. "I'll show you how delicate those sensibilities are." She reached behind her back unhooking her bikini top allowing the cups to fall from her chest and her heavy breasts to spill out into Jed's waiting hands. 

"So beautiful." He bent to reverently lick the water from a milky white globe before diving underwater to yank her bikini bottoms down over her hips. He surfaced with them twirling them on one finger with a lascivious smile before tossing them off towards a lounge chair. 

"You think you're pretty tough, don't you?" 

"I think I know what I want." His hand moved to tangle in the curls between her legs. 

"Well, I'm not that easy." She pushed off of him with a delighted laugh and for the next fifteen minutes they swam and frolicked, dunking and chasing each other with the laughter of children. But they were not children and their play was both fun and arousing; the sensuous feel of the warm water licking at their at their nude bodies – between Abbey's thighs and over her sensitive nipples and surrounding Jed's half aroused penis in fun laughing foreplay until Jed finally called a halt. He grabbed a squirming Abbey and pulled her up against his chest. 

"I thought you were tired," he said. 

"I got my second wind." 

"Good, you're going to need it." 

Abbey bit her bottom lip with a shiver of anticipation. She crossed her arms around his neck and lifted her legs so that they wrapped around his waist. She was practically weightless in the buoyant water. "I think maybe you're the one that's going to need it," she purred. Her hand moved between their bodies wrapping around Jed's massively hardening shaft. "What a difference a little warm water makes," she murmured while nibbling on his neck. "No shrinkage tonight." 

"Nope." Jed's breath came faster as Abbey continued to stroke him, the feel of her hand and the warm swirling water doing delicious things to his erection. Abbey shifted her hips gently pushing that erection to where she was open and waiting for him. Inserting only the tip, she then placed both arms around his neck again and slid herself forward onto him with a soft feminine moan of pleasure. Jed's hands moved to her rear to hold her against him, his lips circling over a rosy nipple to suckle at her while she clung to him. Their lovemaking against the side of the pool was brief and intense and immensely satisfying. And when it was over, Abbey amended her earlier remark from Kylemore Abbey. One hand trailing over the damp beads of water that clung to Jed's chest hair she proclaimed. 

"Now THAT was a beautiful end to the day." 

**** 

"I am so sorry about this, Sir. It had to have been a guest or a staff member." 

"It's not your fault, Peter," Jed waved him off. 

Abbey and Jed were sitting together in a private drawing room dressed in tennis clothes – he in a pair of Boston Celtics shorts and a Notre Dame T-shirt that he insisted matched in an Irish kind of way and she in a saucy short white tennis skirt and crimson V-neck Harvard T-shirt. Beside them on a sideboard sat a breakfast buffet steaming under silver trays, and before them sat Peter, Ron and CJ and a stack of newspapers. The topic of conversation were the long lens riverside pictures taken of the President and First Lady along the Ballynahinch river on their first full day at the castle. Pictures of the President with his arms around the First Lady from behind helping her to cast her fly, pictures of a little smooching that they had done as they stood in the river, and pictures of the President reading with the First Lady's head in his lap. Benign pictures and rather sweet and loving in a way that made CJ's heart sing at the wonderful photo-op. However, she wisely kept her mouth shut on that topic since it wasn't the content of the pictures that the First Couple had an issue with; it was the fact that someone had been able to sneak close enough to take their pictures at all. This was an ongoing problem and one not easily solved no matter how much security was available. Not since the Kennedys had an American President and his wife garnered so much attention and adulation and as long as millions of dollars would be paid for pictures of them or their family, the risks would be made and those pictures splashed over both the printed press and the internet. 

"Sir, the only way to really prevent these things from happening would be for you not to stay in public places like this. To be completely secure, you have to stay in private residences where access is limited to just you and your staff." 

"Unacceptable," Abbey said taking a bite of her scrambled eggs. "I will not live in bubble, Ron. I will not become so insulated from regular people that I completely lose touch with reality." 

"I understand, ma'am." 

"What if the person who took those pictures had had a gun instead of a camera," Jed said bluntly. 

"Impossible," Ron assured him. "When you chose to stay here, Mr. O'Flaherty cooperated with us completely in not allowing anyone who planned to do any hunting to stay here for the two days that you and Mrs. Bartlet would be present. Everyone staying here was searched and a complete sweep of the castle was made. There are no guns here, Mr. President. However, the same can't be said for cameras. People here are on vacation; most of them have cameras." 

Jed nodded with resignation. "I know there isn't anything we can do about that. Abbey and I have come to terms with life in a goldfish bowl and we've both decided not to cower behind the walls of the White House, so if that means pictures of us picnicking, fishing and kissing by a river than so be it." 

"Good answer, babe." Abbey was just thankful that their skinny dipping foray in Lough Corrib had not been captured on film. She had been photographed so many times in private moments – from the first campaign when she and Jed were caught walking at the farm with their hands in each other's back pockets, to the Hilton Head summit where paparazzi had caught her swelling belly while she walked on the beach in a bikini five months pregnant with the twins, to so many other moments. But, so far, in spite of having taken a few chances, the Service, when warned, had been able to provide protection from any truly damaging pics. 

CJ looked up at the two from the newspaper she was reading with a raised brow. "Can I ask you both a question?" 

"The book was _Celtic Twilight_ by William Butler Yeats," Jed said. 

"Well, that's interesting information but my question is what do you both know about a broken antique bed at a certain bed and breakfast on Lough Corrib." 

Abbey choked for a moment on her coffee and Ron had to fight to keep from grinning. 

"Where did you hear about that?" Abbey asked. 

"The regular newspapers only printed the pictures of you, both from the Ballynahinch and commented on your stay in Ireland. However the tabloid newspaper here has a little more about this sexy second honeymoon as they refer to it. A certain Declan McConnell told the reporter that he was called to his sister's bed and breakfast to repair the bed that the President and Mrs. Bartlet had broken in their obvious 'enthusiasm'". 

Abbey's cheeks flushed a becoming pink. 

"Enthusiasm? Well, that's a new word for it," Jed joked. 

"Ms. McConnell, the owner of the establishment has no comment. Are we in a position to deny this?" CJ bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. 

Jed's eyes caught Abbey's across the table and they both turned to CJ stating, " No comment." 

CJ's laughter filled the room and followed Abbey and Jed out the door as they departed for a game of tennis before leaving for Donegal. 


	20. Summer of Us, The

Donegal, the most wild and romantic of all the Irish counties was the next destination on the First Couple's holiday trip. Abbey and Jed stepped out of Marine One onto the stark beauty of the windswept Inishowen peninsula – the most northern remote spot in Ireland's northern-most county. Facing inland across the peninsula, mountains rose in the distance, but the fierce beauty of Donegal lay in its coastline. It was a rugged coastline with some of the highest cliffs in Europe, along with miles and miles of secluded white sandy beaches, bays and inlets. The peninsula was an ancient land, steeped with relics left from the druid days and the early Christians. 

Jed had been extremely secretive when it came to this part of their itinerary so Abbey had no idea of where they were going. She could only watch out the window as the car made its way from the landing spot out along a weaving, twisting road that followed the intricate coastline passing long golden beaches and rising to sharp twists around towering sheer cliffs that plunged into the crashing sea below. It reminded Abbey a lot of the Maine coast, the big difference being that this area was far more remote and secluded, virtually deserted until they came over a small rise overlooking a pretty bay and the small village of Ballyliffin. Small was putting it mildly...blink and you missed the small hamlet. With its two hotels, two shops, a garage and a few houses with signs showing they were bed and breakfasts, Ballyliffin was hardly a tourist mecca. The people who visited this area were looking for peace and tranquility and communing with the beauty nature, not shopping and pub hopping. 

As they passed both hotels and the village B&B's and began to head out of town, Abbey looked at Jed with interest. Just where was this man of hers taking her? He could be very tightlipped when he wanted to be and he just squeezed her hand with a smile at her questioning glance. The motorcade continued on until partway to Malin Head, the absolute northernmost part of the country. They turned off the main road down a dirt road that led to a picturesque white-washed, thatched roof cottage with a bright red painted door. The windows were trimmed in the same bright red, as were the window boxes that held a profusion of bright flowers dancing in the breeze. 

Abbey and Jed stepped out of the car into the crystal clear Donegal air, the wind roaring in from the Atlantic toward them. The cottage sat at the edge of a barren rock cliff top. Straight ahead, about a mile out to sea, sat a large rock topped with mossy green grass – Glasheedy Rock, Jed informed his wife. Looking down to the south, the view was of a secluded deep blue cove and a long stretch of white sandy beach, while the north side offered dramatic views of craggy cliffs battered by the ocean. At high tide, the cliff upon which their cottage sat would be battered as well. It was a wild unspoiled landscape, both exhilarating and peaceful. Abbey walked right out to the edge of the cliff opening her arms wide to the wind that carried on it the salty sea spray. Jed held back, eyes intent on his wife. There was nothing he enjoyed more than watching Abbey in her element. Since they'd been in Washington, it was something he had seen far too infrequently. Finally, she turned to him her green eyes sparkling with life, a delighted smile on her lips as she threw her arms around him kissing him soundly. 

"I LOVE this place. It's absolutely incredible. How on earth did you ever hear about it?" 

"I never reveal my sources." He tweaked her nose. 

"Oh, yeah. We'll see about that." Her voice held a wealth of promise for the night ahead and with a delighted laugh of his own, he followed her saucy lead into the cottage. 

The cottage walls were made of stone and the windows were old fashioned and rather small, probably because of the wind; but without a second floor, the ceilings were extremely high which gave the place a surprising feel of openness. The windows were without curtains allowing in both the sun and amazing views no matter where you looked. There was a large stone open-hearth fireplace fronted by a comfortable red checked couch and coffee table. Two sugan rocking chairs and a large overstuffed reading chair finished out the cozy sitting area. The cottage had an open concept with a small but surprisingly modern kitchen open to the sitting area. At the far end of the room on the other side of the kitchen sat a simple pine dining table pushed up against a window that held a view of the dramatic rocky north shore along with doors leading to two small bedrooms. Wide stairs in the middle of the room led up to the large open master bedroom loft. It was both rustic and quaint with an exposed beam ceiling, pine wood floors covered by bright rag rugs and an inviting large bed with a colorful quilt and Irish lace pillowcases that faced a window overlooking the sea. Abbey stood at that window her forehead pressed to the glass. She was thoroughly charmed by the cottage and the way that it spoke to her of quiet walks on the deserted beach, red sunsets, and romance. Lots of romance. 

"You like it?" Jed rested a hand on her shoulder. 

Abbey turned to him touching his cheek. "You need to ask? You did good, babe, real good." 

Jed's chest puffed out with pride. "I was hoping you'd feel that way. I hope you still feel that way when I tell you that we're going to have to go back into Ballyliffin to buy some supplies. This place is a self-catering cottage, so we're on our own as far as food goes, unless of course you'd rather go out to restaurant or pub." 

Abbey shook her head negatively. "I think it will be fun to be on our own. It's been a long time. Do you realize that it's been five years since you've bought any groceries? At least I've been able to sneak into town in Port Harmony and the country store in Candia, but not you." 

"It is kind of weird now that I think of it. It's funny but I've actually gotten used to it. When I first became President, I didn't think I'd ever grow used to the idea of not being able to pop out to buy a gift or even a pack of gum." 

"Or condoms," she grinned. "It does take some getting used to. But, you know, I noticed when we were going through the village that the boats were unloading fresh fish right over to the fish market. Maybe we can check out what they have and then hit that small general store for the rest of our groceries. I'll start making a list of what we'll need." 

Jed smiled. His wife was HUGE on lists. She was the most organized person he knew, always had been. It was a matter of survival she used to tell him. With her schedule, his schedule and the schedule of three active children, she never would have made it without detailed lists. 

"Make sure you put bacon on that list. I love Irish bacon." 

Abbey slipped her glasses on, took a pen out of her purse and started on a list of groceries that they would need, bacon being at the top of that list. After all, her husband had rented her this beautiful cottage in the middle of nowhere. Irish bacon was the least that she could do. 

**** 

Jed was having a great time wheeling a cart through the little country store. He had always been completely at home in a grocery store as he and Abbey had always shared shopping duties depending on their schedules. He knew how test for ripe fruit, pick out the best cuts of meat, find the laundry detergents and cleaning supplies that did not pollute the environment and he was more at home in the feminine hygiene aisle than any man had a right to be. This small market was certainly no grocery store, but the principal was the same. 

"Jed," Abbey watched him out of the corner of her eye. "We're only here for a couple of days, stick to the list." 

"I'm having fun. It's been ages since I've been able to pick out my own food." Abbey's eyes widened in astonishment and then she burst into laughter. 

"What? Why are you laughing? It's true." 

"It most certainly is NOT true," she snorted derisively. "You have an entire kitchen staff at your beck and call. You can order Baked Alaska at 3:00 a.m. if you're so inclined." 

"That isn't quite true, tootsie pop. You see I'm married to a tremendous nag and she'd never let me get away with that kind of behavior." 

"Nag?" Her eyes narrowed. "Did you just call me a nag?" 

"A beautiful nag," he backpedaled. "The most beautiful nag that ever walked God's green earth." 

"Oh, yes, President Bartlet, it must be terrible indeed to have a wife who loves you so much that she makes sure you eat healthy meals and exercise regularly." 

"You're right, dear, and I'm an ungrateful bastard." 

"You're just saying that because you're afraid I won't let you pick out dessert now." 

Jed turned to eye the old-fashioned freezers longingly. Abbey shook her head indulgently then slapped him lightly on his jean-clad butt. "Go get your ice cream." 

He smiled and bent to kiss her cheek "I'll pick out some for you too," he promised. 

"See that you do." 

**** 

The cottage smelled delicious, of sautéing garlic in olive oil and fresh baking bread. Lively Celtic music filled the room and Abbey's toes tapped along while she worked at shelling the crabs she and Jed had been able to buy fresh off the boat when they had made their way down to the harbor to chat with the fishermen. 

"Would you like a glass of this fine vintage, ma'am?" Jed picked up his glass of wine swirling it in the glass and sniffing at it. Abbey laughed knowing damn well it was only a cheap Zinfandel, the only wine they had been able to find in the small store. 

"I'd love a glass, sir." 

He poured the wine and handed it to her. She lifted it to clink with his glass and gave a nod of her head. "Sláinte." 

"Sláinte," he toasted back and took a sip. "Reminds me of the cheap wine we used to drink when we were first married and living in London." 

"Before we became such outrageous snobs," she agreed. 

"Anything I can do to help?" 

"You could add the garlic to the cream sauce. Everything is just about ready." 

"It smells delicious." He poured the sautéing garlic into the sauce then stuck his finger in for a taste. 

"Jed!" Abbey slapped his finger out of the saucepan. "You're as bad as the children." 

"I'm hungry," he protested. 

"Well, take the bread out of the oven and bring it to the table while I add the crabmeat to the garlic sauce." 

"Your wish is my command." 

They dined by candlelight, although darkness came late to this northern clime. It was still light enough for them to be able to gaze out the window at the breakers crashing into the huge rock formations that littered the north beach. It was romantic and intimate and thoroughly enjoyable. A smile touched Abbey's lips as she watched Jed intently butter his slice of fresh bread, a lock of tawny hair falling down over his forehead. How nice this time with him had been. Of course he'd had his security briefings – his National Security advisors and CJ were tucked away in village B&B's and the Secret Service were an omnipresent force, but for this time, she truly felt like she had her husband again. For the first time in ages, his fickle mistress was quiet and letting him simply relax and have time with his wife. How wonderful it had been to do nothing but read with him and hike with him, dance with him and dine with him, swim with him and shop with him, play with him and make love with him. How nice it had been to converse with him about something other than politics or even their children, to be Abbey and Jed again, individuals and a couple. She and Jed had always had a strong connection. Even when they were separated by miles, there was a connection between them, but it had been a long time since she had felt quite this connected, quite this close to him. The Presidency and First Ladyhood had stolen some of that from them; not all of it – neither of them would ever have allowed that to happen – but some of it. And now sitting here she was reminded that in just two and half years this would be their life again – and it was going to be good, very, very good. 

They did the dishes together, side by side, as they had for so much of their married life. Abbey washed and Jed dried. After dinner, Jed went outside to gather up some more peat for the fire. When he came back in with his armload, Abbey was curled up on the couch, her reading glasses perched on the end of her nose, the flames from the fire shining and snapping in her burnished auburn hair. Soothing Celtic harp music – another new CD from Galway – now played in the background. After adding more peat to the fire, something that gave the room a smoky bonfire smell to it, he joined Abbey on the couch, accepting both the mug of Baileys laced coffee she handed him and her feet onto his lap. He rubbed each sock-covered foot for a moment earning him a soft smile, but not a glance; she was obviously very into the book she was reading. After a few minutes watching the flames dance across her lovely face, he reached for her his own reading glasses and opened his own book. They read for a while in companionable silence save for the soft harp music and the snapping of the fire until they finally decided to retire up to the loft to snuggle up under the eaves in front of the television to watch a good movie. It didn't take long for them to get caught up in the World War II spy thriller _Eye of the Needle_ , transported in time to a lonely Scottish island where a cold, ruthless Nazi spy was shipwrecked on his way to give D-Day information to the Fuhrer and befriended by the lonely young wife of a man crippled both physically and emotionally from an accident. Kate Nelligan who looked remarkably like Abbey's cousin Nora, something both Abbey and Jed noted, played the woman. As the tension of what "The Needle" might do next to the young family in his quest to get his information to the Fuhrer and with the wind coming off the ocean shaking the windowpanes, Abbey snuggled in closer to Jed, her cheek laying against the curve of his shoulder, her arm thrown over his chest tightening each time she was startled. Jed smiled to himself making a note to watch more suspenseful movies like this with his delectable little wife. 

**** 

Dawn over the northern Atlantic was spectacular, streaks of pink and violet swirled in the sky over Glashedy Rock and the choppy sea. Standing on the edge of the cliff in pair of skintight Nike spandex running pants and an oversized Notre Dame sweatshirt, Abbey watched nature's lovely display while she worked on stretching her muscles before her run. It was low tide and trailed by several agents she headed down to the beach running along the edge of the sea delighting in the surf and the squalling of the gulls as they dove and pecked at the sand for their morning meal. She had never been one of those obsessed runners. Her early morning exercise routine at home had consisted of a galloping ride on Aquinnah and then breaks in the hospital gym with long hikes whenever possible. At the White House, she'd had to settle for the gym, laps in the pool and every once in a while a planned hike in the Shenandoah Valley, so it was nice to get out in the fresh air and work her muscles. By the time she returned to the cottage, she was exhilarated from her run and full of energy for the day ahead. She put the coffee on to brew and went upstairs. Jed was still in bed. He heard her when she came into the bedroom. 

"Abbey?" 

"Sleepyhead." She brushed his hair back off his brow and kissed his forehead. 

"Time is it?" He yawned sleepily. 

"Almost seven, you slug-a-bed." 

"Not even seven? Why're you up?" 

"I've already been up for over an hour. I've been running." 

"Crazy woman," he muttered. The eye that he cracked at her widened as he watched her strip off her sweatshirt and wander around the room in the tight running pants and jogging bra that clung to her shapely little body. Sleepy or not, his body responded. 

"Come back to bed, gorgeous." 

"I'm all sweaty and gross." 

"I don't mind a little sweat." He lifted the covers in invitation. 

"Well, I do. I'm going to take a shower." With a sway of her hips, she disappeared into the bathroom. 

**** 

By the time Jed made his way downstairs after his own shower, Abbey was standing at the stove in trim faded jeans frying up some bacon and flipping fluffy omelets, her hair falling in damp almost ringlet curls over her shoulders. He approached her from behind slipping his hands up under her shirt to press into her bare belly at the same time he bent to kiss her cheek. 

"Jed..." Abbey's voice grew raspy as those hands moved up higher to cup her lace covered breasts. He squeezed in response to that voice. 

"Jed..." she repeated. 

"What?" He nuzzled into her neck. 

"Take your hands off my tits before I burn our breakfast." 

Jed chuckled and removed his hands with a deliberate caress across her belly. She turned to him then, spatula in one hand, but whatever she had been about to say was lost when her eyes fell on her sexy husband. He was barefoot in worn old jeans and a black and green Boston Celtics sweatshirt, his hair wet and shaggy, his sky blue eyes shining with devilment. 

"Abbey, if you keep looking at me like that you're really going to burn breakfast." 

"Looking at you like what?" She knew very well her eyes were devouring him and that he knew she wanted to jump his bones. She also knew very well that he would not be opposed. 

"Like you'd rather have me for breakfast than that omelet you're cooking." 

"Maybe I would." 

He stepped forward at the suggestive tone to her voice and the amorous look in her eyes. 

"But, we can't." She held her hands out to ward him off. "Weren't you the one who told me we should be ready to leave before nine?" 

"Did I say that?" 

"Yes, you did." 

"Damn, I did, didn't I." He sat dejectedly at the little table. Abbey bent over his shoulder to place a full plate in front of him and took a moment to gently nibble on his ear. 

"How about I have you for supper instead?" She smiled as her husband's eyes immediately lit up at the suggestion. 

"Babe, you can have me for whatever meal your pretty little heart desires." 

**** 

"Jed." Abbey turned from the car window to face him with a look of excitement. "Are we going to do what I think we're going to do?" 

Jed looked at her, pleased with the sparkle in her jade eyes and the knowledge that he had put it there. "If you think we're going to spend our day breaking our asses in a saddle then you'd be right." 

Abbey cupped his cheeks in her hands, kissed him heartily on the lips then got out of the car to make friends with the two saddled horses tied to a rail awaiting their arrival. 

"I should have known something was up when all my agents were put on primary duty." Abbey stroked the forelock of the horse that was nuzzling into her belly for attention. Being able to both hike and ride horses were criteria every agent on the First Lady's duty had to be able to meet. 

"I'd already planned the stay here in Donegal and I had thought about riding horses, but when Gerald O'Hara brought it up at Ballybrit and you seemed so enthused, I knew I had to make it happen. Gerald helped me set it up. It's not six days on horseback, more like six hours but..." 

"Ssh..." Abbey placed a finger over his lips. "Six hours is plenty of time. It's going to be a grand day. But," she eyed him skeptically, "are you sure you're up to this? It's been a long time since you've spent hours in a saddle." 

"I can handle it," he brushed her off as he heaved himself into the saddle. "Buns of steel, you know." 

Abbey laughed and swung herself up expertly into the saddle. "I'm going to remember you said that." 

In spite of Jed's bravado, Abbey, who was as at home on the back of a horse as she was walking down the street, took it easy on him. She set a slow pace along the trail that marked their way along rocky green highlands dotted with sheep and through solitary farmland, marshy bogs and finally a long low moor sprinkled with heather that led toward the sea. 

Jed had planned the ride because he knew that Abbey would enjoy it – he had not realized just how much that he would enjoy it as well. It had been a very long time since he'd had such an illusion of being alone. Yes, agents trailed them and helicopters flew overhead every once in a while, but riding through this tranquil, wild, desolate land where there were very few signs of civilization and the only sounds were that of his and Abbey's voices and the horses' hooves plodding along, it was remarkably as if they were the only two people in the world. 

The sea had been a distant blue line on the horizon for much of the morning, however as noon approached, the moor finally came to an abrupt end at the top of a glacier sheared cliff. The view was majestic, like something out of National Geographic. The sea lay stretched out before them, a deep indigo blue, while white breakers crashed into Glasheedy Rock where dozens of seals were basking in the noonday sun. Below them, set among the beach and the rocks lay the ruins of Carrickabraghy Castle and a colony of nesting puffins. It was on this spot that they decided to have their lunch. Abbey found a flat area to spread a pretty blue and white checked picnic blanket and watched while Jed – walking like a tired old cowboy – loosely tied the horses up to stunted scrub of a tree. She watched him rub his rear a couple of times and couldn't help the giggle that forced its way between her lips. Jed turned with a scowl. 

"Not a word out of you, missy." 

"I didn't say a thing." 

"But you were thinking it." 

"Ahh...You don't know what I was thinking." She moved toward him and wrapped her arms around his waist. 

"So, you gonna tell me?" 

"I was thinking that I want to be the one massaging those buns of steel." She smiled and gave his rear a quick kneading, only stopping when out of the corner of her eye she caught the shadow of a wandering agent. 

"Hey, don't stop," Jed protested. 

"We have company." Her head tilted toward the agent. Jed scowled again. 

"Can't even get a good ass rub from my wife without them watching." 

Abbey laughed softly. "I'll finish up in privacy tonight." 

Jed nodded and together they emptied the packs on the saddles and brought their lunch back to the blanket. They dined on chunks of fresh bread, smoked cheese and clusters of grapes. The sun was stronger here on the top of this cliff and Abbey pulled off her sweatshirt to reveal the tank top she wore underneath. Jed smiled at the incongruous picture that his wife made sitting amidst a field of heather with dark sunglasses covering her eyes, her burnished auburn hair pulled back in a long ponytail, a plastic cup of wine in her hand and a tank top reading "Of course I'm a real doctor. Why don't you take off your clothes and see how I operate?" Abbey had been doing much of the picture taking on the trip, but Jed couldn't resist picking up the camera to snap a picture of her this time. 

By the time they finished eating, the tide had turned and with high tide came the ubiquitous chill wind. They had only just started exploring the ruins of the seven circular towers of the castle when Abbey decided to put her sweatshirt back on. They wandered around the area for a while, stood at the edge of a fissure called "the hissing rock" and watched the spurt of water shoot forth as the tide filled it and then climbed back in their saddles for a walk along the edge of the sea. It had been a beautiful day, the sun shining like diamonds in the rolling waves that foamed around the legs of their horses, but now white and gray clouds started to move in off the sea, the wind grew stronger and the sea churned with white caps. Abbey felt it in her blood, in that very elemental part of her soul that was Celt, the wildness of the coming storm, the danger of the sea, the pulse of this land where her forefathers had plotted, fought, laughed, loved and ultimately left. 

"Race you to the end of the beach!" she called out over her shoulder to Jed. She kicked her horse with her heels and was off galloping across the white sandy beach, her horse's hooves splashing in the surf while the blustery wind and sea spray stung coldly against her cheeks and her fiery ponytail flew behind her in the wind like a dancing flame. Jed could only stare in admiration, his chest tightening with the fierceness of his love for her. This was his Abbey, the woman he had fallen in love with when she was still more girl than woman, so full of life and passion that he had been drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Loyal, intense, fierce, intelligent, funny, direct, both strong and vulnerable and so beautiful, it made his heart ache – he had never met anyone quite like Abbey and he never had again. God, how he loved her. Then, realizing that she was getting quite far away from him and knowing that he would never catch her, he set off at an easy canter. 

She was waiting for him at the end of the long stretch of beach, breathless, cheeks a healthy rosy glow, emerald eyes shining with life and...something else. He found out soon what the something else was. She grabbed him as he dismounted and kissed him – a greedy, breathless, passionate kiss of need. 

"I want you." 

The words were unnecessary. Jed had known what she needed and wanted the second her tongue had swept into his mouth urging him to follow her lead. He looked up at the trailers waiting at the top of the hill and turned to the agents who were lingering behind trying to pretend they had not witnessed the passionate moment. 

"Guys, would you please bring the horses up to the trailers?" he said. "Abbey and I are going back to our cottage." 

"Yes, sir." 

The ache in his rear and thighs forgotten, Jed handed the reins over to the agents then took his wife's hand and eagerly led her up the steep cliff trail toward their cottage just as a large gust of wind brought with it a cold sheet of rain. Laughter was their only response. 


	21. Summer of Us, The

  
Author's notes: St. Mary's Church is a combination of two churches on the Inishowen peninsula.  


* * *

Wet from the sea spray and the rain and shivering with cold, Abbey and Jed shoved open the door to their cottage and immediately made their way to the fireplace to warm up. Jed bent to throw some more peat on the low flame and when he turned back around, Abbey had stripped off her sweatshirt and damp jeans and was standing before the fire in her panties and tank top, her nipples, responding to the cold, pebble hard against the cotton. She had pulled the elastic out of her hair and was combing through the damp loose strawberry tresses with her fingertips. His eyes lit with appreciation. 

"You still want me?" he asked. 

"You bet I do." She stepped toward him, hooked a finger through his belt loop and yanked him toward him. When she had him where she wanted him, she pulled his wet sweatshirt up over his head. Her fingertips trailed over his bare chest teasing his nipples and tantalizing his skin, while his hands moved to span her tiny waist pulling her closer so he could take her lips in a blazing torrid kiss, meant to heat and enflame. While their tongues warred, Jed's hands slipped in under the elastic of Abbey's bikini panties, his hands cupping over the soft curves of her bare rear. Abbey moaned into his mouth and pressed her pelvis into his groin. She was going from zero to sixty in just seconds. His hands continued to knead her rear pulling her even more closely into his growing erection. The need to breathe was the only thing that pulled them apart. Breathlessly, eyes afire, their gazes locked with sexual electricity. 

"Take off your pants," Abbey ordered. She didn't have to tell him twice. Slowly, Jed lowered the zipper on his jeans and, under Abbey's watchful eyes, slipped them off. She reached for him then, tugging his boxers down to allow his straining penis to spring free. Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip as she watched that thick hard shaft rise to brush against the line of hair that started at his navel. He was so sexy, so male, and in spite of having done this many thousands of times, she still desired him with a craving that had never been assuaged. 

Jed knelt before her, lifting her tank top to press his lips into her flat belly, nuzzling her as if in worship. He brushed his cheek against the purple satin panties covering the soft rise of her sex, kissing her through the fabric before he pulled them down over her slender hips, baring the lovely triangle to his eyes. He kissed the copper curls tickling her with his lips and tongue before gently pulling her down to kneel before him. When they were again face to face, he took the hem of her tank top in hand and lifted it from her body, then deftly unsnapped the clasp on her matching purple bra to bare her full lush breasts. He kissed her, then pulling her slender form in close to him so that those breasts were crushed against his chest. Desire swamped them both. Without quite knowing how it happened, Jed soon found himself seated on the floor in front of the fireplace with Abbey on her knees straddled over his thighs. Unable to resist the temptation any longer, she reached out to curl her hand around his satiny stiff erection pulling him back from his belly. She rubbed herself against him, sliding his shaft against her damp cleft, shuddering at the feel of him against her core. How on earth had she ever been cold? She was burning up at this very moment. 

"Abbey..." Jed's strangled plea worked its magic on his wife. 

Hovering over him, she placed his straining penis where she needed it and sank down on him with a deep long sigh. Fully penetrated, she wrapped her legs around his waist, sitting on his lap in the most intimate embrace possible. Jed cupped her cheeks in his palms, staring deeply into mossy green eyes gone soft and dreamy the way that they did each time she allowed him entry into her body. He ran his fingers over the fine bones of her face, over the soft wings of her brow, the gentle hollows of her cheeks, the bridge of her nose. His thumb slid over the seam at her lips until they opened for him, then trailed down over her jaw and neck and down her arm. He drew her hand to his mouth, first pressing his lips to her palm, then tracing his tongue over the delicate blue veins of her wrist feeling her pulse quicken and her vagina contract on him. And when his other hand closed over her breast teasing her nipple, she squirmed against him needing more friction. His need to plunge within grew more and more intense and when she whispered a breathless, "More Jed" into his ear he went into action. 

Gently, he withdrew from her and laid her back on the carpet in front of the fireplace then grabbed a throw pillow from the couch to place underneath her hips, raising her for a better angle. She lay before him, the firelight shimmering over her amazing body as if she were some kind of pagan sacrifice. He entered into her again with one fluid thrust taking satisfaction from the soft cry of pleasure that escaped her lips. 

With her hips raised this way and him on his knees before her, it was easy for him to watch his penis sliding in and out of her and the sight soon transfixed him. He reached his hand out to stroke over her belly, to caress the fiery curls that he found so alluring, to trace his fingertips up and down the slick flesh just above where he penetrated her. The combination of sensations caused Abbey to moan, her eyes closing. 

"Abbey, don't." Jed's voice was husky, sensuous. "Watch us, baby. Look at us." 

It took her a moment to figure out what he wanted, then bracing herself on her elbows, her gaze followed her husband's to where he was entered inside her body. She watched him withdraw almost completely then push himself fully inside her. She gasped at both the feel of it and the eroticism of watching that thick hard shaft fill her. Her back arched, thrusting her breasts up toward him, her shining long hair falling over her shoulders down to the floor, the vulnerable expanse of her neck exposed to him. She was giving in to him in complete surrender. Unable to hold back any longer, Jed covered her body, wrapping her silky hair around his hands and closing his fists in it. He could see her pulse moving wildly at the base of her throat and pressed his lips to that spot just as he began to thrust within her again. 

Welcoming the feel of his heavy masculine body pressed into hers and the power of his hips shoving himself inside of her again and again, Abbey lifted her knees higher, wrapping her ankles around his waist. Her arms circled around his torso, resting her palms against the bunching, flexing muscles in his shoulders as he moved within her. With her hips still raised on the pillow, every thrust forward brought his groin into contact with her clitoris and it didn't take long for her back to arch away from the carpet in anticipation of her orgasm. Every muscle in her body began to tense and shake and her breath came out in sexy agonized whimpers until she could breathe no longer. Higher and higher she rose, spiraling out of control toward that ultimate moment of bliss; everything tightening into that one spot where Jed continued to drive himself frantically within her. With a strangled cry she reached her climax, fingers digging into his shoulders, heels digging into his back, the walls of her sheath tightening its grip on him with powerful contractions of pleasure. On and on it went, tears of exquisite completion burning behind her eyelids until Jed fell flat on her body, his hips pumping once, twice, three times and then with a last powerful thrust and a deep guttural groan against her neck he came explosively within her. 

Minutes later their bodies still tingling with the effects of their passionate lovemaking, they lay in each other's arms in front of the fireplace, a quilt thrown over their nude forms. While the fire snapped and crackled and the wind slashed the rain against the windows, Abbey's fingers moved lightly over Jed's skin, over his broad chest and the curve of his collarbone down to tease the silky hair that grew under his arms. She rubbed her smooth leg over his hair roughened thigh enjoying the contrast of male and female and the boneless loose-limbed relaxation that really great sex always brought to her. 

"I love to feel this close to you," she murmured against his shoulder. 

Jed looked down into her soft, loving, sea-green eyes and over the pale freckles that were sprinkled adorably over her nose and cheeks and kissed her forehead. "Me too." They lay together for what seemed an eternity, satiated and warm and filled with a delicious lethargy until the rumbling in Jed's belly caused Abbey to chuckle. 

"Hungry?" she asked. 

"Mmm...I guess contrary to what the songs might say, you can't live on love." 

"Guess not." She didn't want to stir from their warm little cocoon but she was getting hungry too. After hearing Jed's stomach rumble again, she reluctantly slipped out of his arms and began searching for her discarded clothing. 

With his hands behind his head and a lazy smile, Jed watched her wiggle into the tiny panties and slide the tank top over her head. 

"Well, are ye just going to lay there with that self-satisfied little shite-eating grin on your face or are you going to help me make some sandwiches?" She was half-naked with her hands on her hips; long hair tousled wildly over her shoulders, her brogue perfect. She was magnificent. 

His grin remained, God how he loved her quicksilver moods. He never quite knew what to expect from her. "I have every intention of helping you with supper. I'm just enjoying the show." 

Shaking her head, Abbey tossed his boxers toward him and they made their way to the kitchen, he in just his boxer/briefs, and she in her tank top and purple panties. Abbey pulled out some leftover bacon from breakfast along with lettuce and tomatoes and together they made thick BLT's. While Jed sliced their sandwiches in half, he watched Abbey pull a carton out of the freezer and proceed to fill two bowls with generous portions of chocolate and strawberry ice cream. 

"Hon, that's gonna melt before we finish our sandwiches," he warned. 

"No, it won't." 

"Abbey, I may not be an esteemed scientist but I know my food. That ice cream is going to be completely melted by the time we get the chance to eat it." 

"Well, I AM an esteemed scientist and I say that if we eat dessert FIRST then we won't have a problem with it melting, will we?" 

"Eat dessert first? Abigail Anne Bartlet, what has gotten into you?" 

"We're on vacation," she licked the dripping strawberry ice cream from her finger. "I can be flexible." 

Jed's eyes moved to her shapely legs, bared by the hip length tank top and scrap of panties. "You sure can." 

"Ohhh...Now you're being naughty." She took a dollop of ice cream onto her fingertip and placed it between his lips. 

"Do you object?" He grabbed her wrist and sucked on her fingertip the way he sucked at her nipples, noting that said nipples responded accordingly against her shirt. 

"Have I ever objected to naughty?" 

"Not on my watch." 

They ate in front of the fireplace sitting on the couch under the old quilt with their toes warming against the peat fire listening to the wind howl and the pouring rain. When they were finished – their hunger sated – Jed turned to Abbey. 

"So what's next? Do you want to watch a movie or something?" 

"Or something." She stood and pulled him to his feet. "I think we need to clean up before bed. I'm still sticky." 

"Really?" Jed's voice was husky as he slid his hand inside the front of her panties to the feel the remnants of his outpouring of pleasure – and hers. A purely masculine proprietary smile touched his lips. "You said we." 

"I guess I did." She pulled his hand from her underwear and began to lead him toward the loft. "It's been a long time since we've taken a nice hot bath together. Would you like to join me?" 

"I don't know, would I?" 

"I think you would." With a sensuous smile she turned from him and started up the stairs, Jed followed barely a step behind. 

Surrounded by aromatic candles, soft music and glasses of Baileys that warmed them from within, they shared a romantic hot bubble bath in the deep old-fashioned, claw foot, porcelain tub. After relaxing against each other for a little while, soapy, lazy, sensuous hands began moving intimately over each other's bodies and they made love once again, this time less urgent but certainly not less loving. It was only when the water began to cool that they removed themselves and stepped into the bedroom to towel off. Abbey slid a nightgown over her head but when Jed reached in his drawer for a pair of sweats, she stopped him. 

"I still owe you something," she reminded him. He looked at her puzzled as she pointed to the bed. "Lay down on your stomach." 

"Abbey," he protested. "Much as I love the idea, I'm not sure I have the stamina for another go." Between the two bouts of lovemaking and the fact that his muscles were stiffening in his rear and thighs from riding all day he was done in. 

"Good, because I'd like to be able to walk into church tomorrow morning myself. Now, just listen to me and lay down on your stomach." 

Jed did as told not quite sure what his wife was up to. 

Eyeing the rounded cheeks of his rear, Abbey took the bottle of Arnica rub and squirted it onto her hands. At the first soothing touch of her fingers kneading his buttocks, Jed groaned with pleasure. 

"You like that, don't you?" Abbey asked, already knowing the answer. 

"Oh yeah..." he sighed. 

"I told you I owed you an ass rub." She bent to kiss the back of his shoulder affectionately. "The Arnica cream will help with sore muscles." 

"Your hands are doing a pretty good job as well. Sometimes being married to a doctor really pays off." 

"I'm going to remind you of that the next time I make you eat a salad." 

"You keep rubbing my ass like that and I'll eat all the salads you want. Only next time, do it BEFORE we've spent the evening screwing so I can enjoy it even more." 

"I'll remember that," she giggled softly. "Now, just be quiet, relax, and enjoy this." 

By the time her fingers had finished on the back of his thighs and were moving down to his calves, Jed was snoring softly, sound asleep. Abbey smiled down on him tenderly and climbed off the bed. She pulled the covers up over his nude body and settled in behind him. The wind shrieked in off the Atlantic shaking the windows and lashing the rain against the glass. She shivered at the fury of the storm and pressed up against his back. 

"Abbey?" he murmured sleepily at the same time he rolled onto his back, instinctively lifting his arm to allow her to curl up to his side. When she was in place, he wrapped that arm over her slender form holding her close to him. She smiled against his chest nuzzling in. 

"It's okay, go to sleep. I love you." 

"Love you too." 

**** 

Jed awoke early the next morning to the sound of Atlantic breakers smashing up against the cliff below them. Abbey was still curled up in his arms, sleeping. She looked so innocent and vulnerable with wavy tendrils of strawberry hair lying against her sleep-flushed cheek and dark lashes closed over her beautiful eyes. How could this be the same siren that was able to drive him so crazy with lust that he could barely see straight? 

Feeling eyes upon her, Abbey stirred in her husband's arms. A soft smile curved on her lips when she gazed up into his beautiful cerulean eyes. "What are you doing?" she asked. 

"Nothing...Just watching you sleep." 

Abbey reached a hand up to run over his sandpaper rough jaw. "You were incredible last night, Jed." Her voice was still husky with sleep. 

"Thanks." He took her wrist, kissing the fingers that had been moving over his jaw. "You weren't so bad yourself." 

"Sounds like it stopped raining." 

"Were you planning to go for a run?" 

"I was thinking more along the lines of an early morning walk on the beach with my husband." 

"I think that can be arranged." 

**** 

The wild storm from the night before had passed them by, leaving behind clear bright blue skies and huge breakers that crashed onto the beach in a fury of foam and spray. It was beautiful in an elemental kind of way. Abbey and Jed, in jeans and windbreakers, walked hand and hand on the packed down sand at the edge of the tide. They were quiet, enjoying the beauty of nature on the deserted beach until finally Abbey spoke. 

"I've been thinking a lot about us lately." 

"Uh oh, is that a good thing?" 

"Yes, it's a good thing. I was just wondering...Do you suppose that we would still be so good in bed together if we didn't feel so strongly for each other?" 

Jed looked down with surprise. Their sex life had always been very good so it wasn't something they often talked about. "I don't know...I know I'd still feel powerfully attracted to you physically, if that's what you mean. But there's a lot more to it than that. I'm attracted to you for more than just your gorgeous body and your beautiful face. I don't tell you that often enough, do I?" 

He looked so worried that Abbey had to cast him a tender smile. "That isn't what this is about. I'm certainly not complaining that you compliment me on my looks. It's important to me that I'm still beautiful in your eyes." 

"And every other male on the planet...and some females..." 

Abbey chuckled and gave him a soft elbow to the ribs. 

"Seriously," he continued, "I remember reading once that a good sex life does not make a marriage, but a bad sex life can destroy one." 

"Where did you read that?" 

"I believe it was a _Cosmopolitan_ magazine in which our sex life received four out of five stars." 

"Still proud of that, are you?" 

"You bet. But, let me ask, what's your take on the subject?" 

"I guess to me it's all part of the same package. I think that because our marriage is so good and so strong it makes our sex life all the better, but I think the fact they we're so sexually attracted to one another and sexually compatible helps to make our marriage strong. And you're right it isn't all physical. Of course, I'd have to be blind not to find you physically attractive but there is so much more than that." 

"What did it for you yesterday?" 

"Ahh...yesterday." Her smile was pure feminine mischief. "Part of it was elemental – the rush of adrenaline and excitement – and, yeah, part of it was you being so damn good looking and all. But what really put it over the top was what you had done for me that day. I know you don't like to ride but you put my feelings and interests above your own and planned a day that you knew I would enjoy – because you love me. I guess I was responding to how strongly you feel for me." 

"There you have it then. I can't imagine that the sex would ever not be good between us. Our bodies respond to each other no matter how we feel emotionally; but when it's really good, when it's profound, when I can make you cry with the beauty of it, that is when we are connected on other levels as well. Why are you smiling at me like that?" 

"I like listening to you talk like this. I guess I just figured that being a man...a lusty man...that you didn't always notice the difference between a physical need and an emotional union." 

He stopped to gaze down into her lovely upturned face and traced a finger over her cheekbone. "We aren't all cavemen you know. I may not talk about it, because...well...you're right I enjoy the sex with you all the time – however I get it – so there probably is a little caveman in me in." His look turned sheepish. "But I want you to know that I do notice the difference." 

Abbey nodded with a tender smile. "It's okay. I don't mind a little caveman every once in a while. This is a hell of a conversation to be having right before church." 

"I think it's a fine time to have this conversation. Marital sex is all part of the vows. With my body I thee worship..." 

"I've always liked that one." 

"Me too, sweetheart. Me too." 

"So, God is happy with us?" 

"Immensely." 

**** 

"What do you mean they don't want to talk to me?" About to slip her foot into a high-heeled pump, Abbey dropped the shoe on the floor and looked at the phone that she held in her hand incredulously, as if her daughter could see her expression. 

"It's not exactly that they don't want to, Mom. They don't want to stop what they're doing to talk." 

"Since when? They always run to the phone when I call. Elizabeth, tell me the truth, are they angry with me?" 

"No, Mom. They're covered in paint and they just don't want to clean up to come to the phone." 

Abbey could hear the children giggling in the background and felt a corresponding pinch in her heart. "Well, okay then. I'll call later when we get back from church." 

"Bye, Mom. They're fine, really." 

"Yeah." Tears burned Abbey's eyes as she put the phone down then sat dejectedly on the edge of the bed. 

Jed came out of the bathroom buttoning his shirt. "Abbey, what's wrong, honey?" 

"They hate me." 

"Who hates you?" 

"My children. OUR children." 

"Abbey, our children don't hate you." 

"Well they sure as hell don't miss me." Irritated, she wiped at the tear that trailed down her cheek. "They didn't care about talking to me, didn't want to stop what they were doing to come to the phone. I could hear them laughing in the background." 

"That's a good thing, isn't it? They were having fun." 

"Of course it's a good thing," she snapped. 

"Then why are you crying?" Jed wasn't sure at this point if he would ever understand the reasoning behind a woman's moods and emotions. 

Abbey eyed him as if he had two heads. She didn't have an answer, at least not a good one. 

"Honey, you cry when they tell you how much they miss you and now you're crying because they aren't missing you enough." 

"I'm just a big mess, aren't I?" She accepted the tissue he handed her and dabbed at her eyes. He sat down beside her. 

"Yes, you are." 

She smiled through her tears. "You aren't supposed to agree with me." 

"You listen to me," Jed reached out a hand to tuck her hair behind her ear then turned her chin so she was facing him, dark lashes wet with tears. "You are a wonderful mother. Our children worship the very ground that you walk on. There is no reason to feel guilty. I know you miss them and I know it's been hard being away from them. But in less than a week, they'll be back hanging on your skirts begging for your attention, barging into the bathroom while you try to take a pee, and kicking me in the balls when they crawl up into bed with us." 

"You make is sound so wonderful," she rolled her eyes sarcastically. 

"Well, you know what? It is." 

"Yeah," she sighed in agreement. 

"Now wipe those tears and finish getting dressed or we're going to be late for church." 

**** 

Standing outside chatting with his agents and having a quick smoke, Jed, in a lightweight summer suit was waiting for his wife to emerge from the cottage. When she did, his eyes lit with appreciation. Wearing a simple sleeveless A-line dress the color of pale lemons, auburn hair twisted into an elegant French twist, a delicate gold crucifix around her slender neck and her famous high heels, she was every inch the sophisticated First Lady. 

"Can ye really be the same wild lass that I tumbled with so fiercely last night?" he asked, as he opened the car door for her. 

"I can and I am." She kissed him lightly then automatically reached a thumb out to wipe her lipstick from his lips. 

The Presidential motorcade made its way a few short miles east across the peninsula to the village of Culdaff on the outskirts of which was the oldest church on the Inishowen peninsula where they would be attending Mass. St. Mary's was a small stone country church sitting out on a spit of land surrounded by the sea and fronted by an old graveyard dotted with ancient Celtic crosses. 

Ignoring the press, Jed placed his hand on the small of Abbey's back and led her up the stairs to enter the church both pausing to bless themselves before stepping into the aisle. The room went silent save for the organist who was playing "Jesus my Lord, my God, my All". The eyes of the small congregation were upon them as they made their way hand in hand to the pew at the front that had been reserved for them. They were watched intently as they both genuflected by the pew then knelt together in prayer. This was nothing new to them. Every Sunday while they worshipped and prayed, they knew that many people were paying more attention to them than they were to the service. They had learned not to let it bother them. Going to Mass together had been something they'd been doing since their dating days at Notre Dame and it was something comforting and peaceful and spiritual that they were able to share. 

With the familiar feel of her husband's thigh pressed against hers, Abbey gave a sidelong glance his way. Admiring his firm square jaw and the devout expression on his face as he prayed, she gave a heartfelt thanks to God for letting her have him. For letting her have this time and renewal with the man that she loved and who loved her. Had she been able to read that man's mind, she would have found that Jed was giving his own thanks to God for this second chance that he had been given with her, for the chance to show her and tell her how much she meant to him after coming so close to losing her. Never again he vowed, would he ever take what they had for granted. 

Partway into the service, Father Brendan O'Donnell started on a homily that had Abbey and Jed casting each other surreptitious looks of interest. 

"Today I'd like to talk to you about the 'theology of the body'. This is an idea that came from a surprising source. Pope John Paul II dedicated a series of Wednesday audiences to an extended commentary on the first three chapters of Genesis. He examined the meaning of the human person based on the fact that God created us male and female. The pope explained that God gave us a language much deeper than words, the language of the body. We communicate ourselves as man and woman – a communication which makes possible the greatest act of self giving, reserved by God to marriage: ' _For this reason a man leaves his father and mother and joins himself to his wife and the two become one_ '. 

"I know young men who have studied John Paul's theology of the body and, in doing so, developed a deep reverence for woman as woman: a unique image of God. That reverence motivated them to live Jesus' teaching on chastity – namely, that the physical expression of sexuality belongs only in marriage. In many cases, it prepared them for a beautiful, faithful marriage. 

"The sharing of body is an integral part of the relationship between man and woman and between man and God. The Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Jesus is the heart of our Church, the heart of our lives as Christians. It is the most powerful language in which Jesus can speak to us – the language of his very Body. Let us today give thanks to God for so great a gift." 

At the end of the service, Jed and Abbey continued to sing the exit hymn "Our God Reigns", while giving the other parishioners the chance to leave and say good-bye to the priest. When the music finally ended, they moved to depart only to find that many of the parishioners were milling about at the doors waiting for another glimpse of the President of the United States and First Lady. They were given more than a glimpse. Abbey and Jed shook hands and mingled among the people with whom they had just worshipped, many of whom were intrigued by the fact that Abbey's ancestors had come from Donegal. It was only after they had greeted everyone who wanted to meet them that they stepped out of the dimly lit church out into the clear, sharp air and made their way to where Father Brendan was finishing up saying good-bye to his parishioners. The white haired priest turned to them with a broad smile of greeting. Jed held his hand out to the man. 

"Jed Bartlet," he said, "and my wife, Abigail." 

"Brendan O'Donnell. Very nice to meet you both." 

"Nice to meet you, Father." Abbey shook his hand as well. 

"Did you enjoy the service, ma'am?" 

"I did, very much. I especially enjoyed your homily, particularly the part about men showing a deep reverence to woman as woman." 

"Ah, yes, well that idea predates Christianity here on this island. But," His eyes moved to Jed whose hand rested lightly on the small of his wife's back. "I have a feeling that I was preaching to the choir here." 

Jed grinned. "I was wondering if you hadn't written that in response to certain tabloid articles about my wife and me." 

"Och, I don't reach the tabloids, sir." Father Brendan's eyes twinkled with amusement as he spoke. "But my housekeeper, well, she might have showed me a thing or two." 

Jed laughed, that infectious laugh that drew others in. He liked Father Brendan. "Well, just this morning while we were walking along the beach before Mass, my wife and I were having a similar discussion." 

"Were you now?" Father Brendan watched a lovely flush touch Abbey's cheeks. 

"We were. The Church has come a long way in the teaching of marital sexuality since I was a boy." 

"Ah, the old 'tis a man's right and a woman must do her duty'." 

"Exactly, we..." 

"Jed," Abbey laid her hand on his arm. "I don't think the good Father is really interested in what we were discussing on the beach this morning." She turned to Father Brendan. "Would you mind if we wandered a bit around the graveyard?" 

"Not at all." The sprightly old priest grinned at the First Lady's change of subject. "I'll come with ye." 

Before they entered the graveyard, Abbey stood with her face to the sun, the wide deep blue sea laid out before her, the mist shrouded islands of Scotland visible far off on the horizon. 

"What a beautiful setting for a house of worship," she said, inhaling the briny air. "There's proof of God's handiwork everywhere you look." 

Father Brendan grinned broadly. "Y'er a true Donegal lass, aren't ye? O'Neill to y'er core." 

"Abbey has salt water in her veins," Jed agreed. 

"And what about you, Sir?" 

"I enjoy my time on the ocean." 

"But his blood is in the land," Abbey said. 

"Ye live on a farm, do you not?" 

"We do. It's been in my family – on my father's side – for generations. The roots go deep there in New Hampshire's rocky soil. In fact, rural New Hampshire reminds me a bit of Ireland. Its fields are green and rocky and it's hard to produce much of anything, but we have a lot more forest than you do here." 

Father Brendan nodded. "Dairy land, isn't it?" 

"Yes. We have an apple orchard and we tap maple trees, but our farm is primarily a dairy farm." 

"Like it is in Kerry. Y'er Flynn and O'Connor, down Kerry way, are ye not?" 

"Yes." 

"Ahh...'Tis what I thought. A Kerryman and Donegal lass. What a marriage you must have." 

Abbey and Jed grinned at each other and took hands to enter the graveyard. What a marriage indeed. 

Father Brendan hadn't exaggerated. Many of the headstones bore the names O'Neill and O'Donnell, for this had been the land where the two mighty clans had come together in an effort to ward of Elizabeth Tudor. Growing up in a land where ancient history meant the 1600's, visiting Europe had always been a revelation to Abbey and Jed. They both wanted to hear more of the history of the land and of the O'Neills and O'Donnells and other rival clans, so they invited Father Brendan to join them at McGrory's pub for brunch. They had been up for hours fasting to be able to take communion, and were now ready to enjoy a good meal. They were not disappointed. McGrory's was a well-known spot on the peninsula with a front pub where small sessions of music took place, an elegant restaurant, and a back bar with a stage for musicians. The proprietor assumed Abbey and Jed would want a table in the restaurant, but they chose instead the more lively front pub with its original natural stonework, rugged beams of cherry and oak, and cozy tables where they could sit and listen to good music while enjoying Sunday Brunch. 

**** 

Later that afternoon, back at the cottage, while Abbey went upstairs to change out of her dress and heels into something more comfortable, Jed discarded his suit coat and sat down to make an important phone call. He was chatting away when Abbey came down the stairs in jeans and a T-shirt, her hair loosened from the tight French twist. 

"There's someone on the line who wants to speak with you." 

Abbey frowned and took the phone. She assumed he had been on the phone with Leo. 

"Hello." 

"Hi Mumma. Me and Nicky painted pitchers for you 'n Daddy after church this morning." 

At the sound of her daughter's voice, Abbey's frown disappeared completely. 

"You did? Is that what you were doing when I called?" 

"Uh huh. We was all filled with paint. We're gonna bring the pitchers with us on the airplane to see you and Daddy." 

"I'm really looking forward to that, sweetheart." 

"Me too. I miss you, Mommy." 

Abbey swallowed tightly. "I miss you too, honey." 

"Aislinn, it's my turn to talk to Mumma." 

Abbey smiled as she listened to her children fight over who was going to get to talk to her. Sitting back in his chair with his own half smile, Jed watched Abbey's face soften, the lines of worry that had been there during this morning's chat replaced by a look of peace. For the moment, all was right again in her world. Looking up from the phone, she caught his gaze and mouthed the words "Thank You". He nodded and touched his fist to his heart. For the moment, all was right in his world as well. 


	22. Summer of Us, The

The landscape of County Kerry in the southwestern tip of Ireland was spectacular in a far different way from wild and remote Donegal. The signs of civilization in this part of the country were everywhere, from ancient ruins to rolling farmland to quaint villages. Kerry was dairy country; the climate tempered by the encroachment of the Gulfstream making for lush lime green fields and darker emerald trees. These were the many brilliant shades of green that writer's of Ireland waxed poetic over. Along the three major peninsulas of the county were rugged beautiful coastlines, but instead of the sheer rocky cliffs of Donegal, the soft green hills of the Dingle Peninsula where Jed and Abbey would be staying, sloped gently into the crashing sea. While Donegal brought to mind the barren coast of northern Maine without the pine trees and evergreens, Kerry brought to mind the picturesque green hills of Vermont farm country. 

Passing by fields of dairy cows and hills of sheep, the motorcade made its way along an inlet of the sea to a small stone farmhouse just a few miles from the city of Dingle. Before Abbey and Jed had time to even step out of the SUV, a small older woman with curly gray hair wearing a tweed skirt gray sweater and flat black sensible shoes was out the door to greet them. Maeve O'Flynn Donahue was in her mid-sixties, but despite her frumpy attire and her steel gray hair, her blue eyes twinkled with youth and delight as she greeted the First Couple. 

"Hello, Mrs. Donahue," Jed held out his hand. "I'm Jed Bartlet..." 

"Och, none of that Mrs. Donahue business. We're cousins you and me. I'm Maeve." 

"Okay, Maeve," Jed grinned. "And this is my wife Abbey." 

Maeve's eyes moved to the lovely woman at his side. In her stylish black moleskin slacks, plum colored cashmere sweater, leather boots and jacket, the woman was quite obviously an American. However, her cloud of wavy cinnamon colored hair, jade green eyes and the spray of freckles across her nose gave away her ethnic background. 

"You've the stamp of Ireland on y're face, lass." She touched Abbey's cheek. "And you." She turned to Jed taking his chin in hand. "Look at that stubborn Irish jaw on ye and them Viking blue eyes. I'd have taken ye for a Flynn anywhere. He's a stubborn one, isn't he lass?" She looked over to Abbey. 

"You've no idea." 

"I think I do," Maeve laughed. "I'm a Donahue by marriage, but I'm an O'Flynn by birth." 

"Okay, I won't have you two ganging up on me," Jed protested. 

"Ahh...but that's what we Irish women do best." Maeve turned to see a couple of Secret Service agents entering her home. It wasn't unexpected. Advance men had been here scoping out every inch of the farm and the inn up the road that had been reserved for the First Couple's stay. 

"Sorry about all the chaos that I bring with me," Jed said. 

"Don't ye be worryin' about that none. Y're family. Look around ye, Jed Bartlet. This is the land where ye would have grown up had y're people not fled to America." 

Jed gazed around the farm; he could see what a hard life it must have been to eke out an existence here. The economy of Ireland had boomed over the past decade, but there was still evidence of the poverty it had suffered. Yet, except for the houses, the land wasn't so different from his own farm in New Hampshire. He wondered if that was why he was so drawn to the farm, because it was so like the land where his ancestors had fought to survive for thousands of years before finally leaving. He felt Abbey take his hand and gazed down on her. 

"Just think, if you're ancestors hadn't left Donegal and mine hadn't left Kerry, we might never have met," he said. 

"Oh, I think we would have." Abbey ran her hand up and down the golden hairs on Jed's forearm. 

"You think we were destined to be together no matter what?" 

"I do. It just might have been at NUI Galway instead of Notre Dame." 

"I'd like to think so." Jed squeezed her hand. For a scientist, Abbey was very open to the spiritual. 

**** 

"So, tell me. What do ye know about y're people?" Maeve handed the couple two steaming cups of tea before sitting between them on the small sagging couch before the many photo albums she had spread out on the coffee table. 

"I know my great-great-great grandparents Mary Elizabeth and Liam were newlyweds when they sailed to Boston and that in 1847 my great great grandfather Sean was the first Flynn of his family born on American soil." 

"Do ye know what drove them to leave?" 

"The famine." Jed sipped his tea. 

"Well, of course, the famine. T'was what sent most young people fleeing, but do ye know y're great great great Gran's story?" 

"I guess I don't." 

"Oh, Lad, it be a tragedy near beyond bearing. Young Mary Elizabeth O'Connor was a Kerry girl but when she wed Tommy Shea, he took her north to his family on the borderlands of Clare. Mary Elizabeth was only sixteen when she moved north. Tommy had a small patch of land owned, of course, by his Lordship and the potato was his only crop. Being the way things were back then, the babes started to come one after the other until suddenly they had four hungry mouths to feed and another on the way. That was when the blight hit the potatoes and the crops failed. One by one, the children began to die from starvation and the disease that came from impaired immune systems and malnourishment. Tommy and Mary Elizabeth buried their children themselves." 

"How awful." Tears burned in Abbey's eyes at the thought of what something like that had to do to a parent. She thought of her own healthy children and her own lost babe, buried in the small Bartlet graveyard at the farm in New Hampshire. 

"Nobody was shocked by the tragedy. All over Ireland people were dying and Mary Elizabeth and Tommy's suffering was no worse than theirs. Ye've heard of parish coffins, haven't ye? So many people were dying they couldn't keep up with the making of the coffins, so the parish had one coffin with a false bottom that they would release over the pit where a person was to be buried and then they would use it again for the next of the deceased. Oh those were terrible times, just terrible." 

"But Tommy and Mary Elizabeth got away?" Abbey's American heart was hoping for a happy ending. Jed knew differently – the male who had started the line of American Flynn's was named Liam, not Tommy. 

"Not exactly dear." Maeve patted her hand. "Just a few weeks before Mary Elizabeth's new babe was born, Tommy got sick with the typhus. Before the week's end he was dead. Mary Elizabeth, starving, sick and not caring if she lived or died herself, gave birth to a baby girl with the help of a neighbor woman. Having the child gave her something to live for again and she knew she couldn't stay alone in Clare without a man, nor the means to make a living, for they would surely die. So only a week after the birth she set out for home...here to the farm in Kerry. It was a long walk to be sure, especially herself having just given birth and so weak to begin with. Because she was emaciated and starving to death, her milk dried up quite quickly and by the time she arrived, the babe was dead and had to be pried from her arms. Mary Elizabeth was almost dead herself. She was twenty-one years old. 

"Twenty-one." Abbey gave a sharp intake of breath and wiped at the tears that slipped freely down her cheeks. "Twenty-one years old and five children?" 

"That's the way it was, lass. That's the way it was here all the way till the second half of this century." 

"I can't imagine it. To be twenty and have already lived a lifetime of tragedy. A mother isn't supposed to bury her children, and she especially isn't suppose to bury five of them." 

"T'was awful, to be sure. But once she was here, the living was a little bit better. Her parents had a cow and they were able to help her to regain her strength with the milk and gruel. Young Liam O'Flynn was a neighbor of the O'Connors. He was both a brawny lad and gentle soul. He fell in love with Mary Elizabeth and joined the raids the young men of the village staged to steal the grain that was on its way to Dingle to bring back to their families. Ye see, there was food to be had in Ireland. There was grain being grown, but while people were starving all about them, the English were exporting the grain out of the country. T'was then that Liam decided there would be no life in Ireland for him. As long as the English ruled, the English would allow them to starve. He was going to America and he wanted Mary Elizabeth to marry him and go with him. Knowing that her life in Ireland was over and that the only way she could survive would be to leave behind the tragic memories of the family she had loved and lost, she agreed." 

Caught up in the story of this courageous woman whom Maeve had brought to life, Jed had to ask. "Did she love him?" 

Maeve smiled at the man before her, at his compassion for human suffering. "Ahh...y've a romantic Irish soul. Well, not in the beginning she didn't. She liked him well enough and he was kind to her and gentle but her heart was still numb. T'was only after a year in Boston that relatives here began to receive letters in which Mary Elizabeth again spoke of love. She gave birth to young Sean and then five more children down the road and from all we heard it was a good and loving marriage." 

Abbey knew that eleven children were not abnormal for a woman in that time period but it still gave her pause. It didn't, however, surprise her that Jed descended from people of such courage and loving compassion. 

"They were an amazing couple, Jed," she said, "so courageous. Mary Elizabeth heading out on the road home with nothing but the clothes on her back and her baby in her arms; and Liam taking on a woman who was in emotional shock and who was not in love with him. When I think of all the coddling I got after I gave birth to my babies and me complaining about being tired or sore..." She shook her head. 

Jed took her hand. "You deserved the coddling and you had a right to complain. I'm just thankful you never had to suffer like that." 

"Puts things into perspective, doesn't it? And they built a life for themselves. They survived and flourished." 

"The limitless human capacity to endure has always amazed me." 

They spent the rest of the afternoon pouring over sepia toned pictures of previous generations and sharing some of their own photos of Jed's maternal family line with Maeve. So engrossed were they in the histories of the photos, they all jumped when Kevin Donahue, Maeve's fisherman husband, entered the house with a bellow. 

"Och, what have we here? Yet more Yanks wantin' to find their family roots?" 

"Kevin Donahue, you hush. Ye nearly scared me out of me wits." Maeve's voice was stern, but the affection she had for her grinning husband was quite evident. Kevin was a short heavyset man with a shock of thick pure white hair and a boyish smile that Abbey could relate to. He entered the room still grinning broadly. 

"Kevin Donahue here. Ye must be the President and First Lady." His eyes moved up and down Abbey's figure obviously appreciating what he was seeing. "Ah lass, y're even more lovely in person than ye are on the telly." 

"You flatter me, sir," Abbey flirted back with him causing the older mans eyes to dance. "It's nice to meet you." She held her hand out. 

"Just speakin' the facts, lass. I'd shake y're hand but I'm still reeking of the fish." 

"Then be off with ye, man." Maeve pushed her husband toward the stairs. "Go take a shower and don't come back down til' ye're smellin' like a rose." 

Kevin turned to Jed as he started up the stairs. "Irish women are bossy little things." 

"Tell me about it," Jed commiserated with a put upon sigh. 

"Now who's ganging up on whom," Abbey gave him a nudge with her elbow. 

"I only speak the truth, sweetheart." 

"And you aren't bossy in the least?" 

"Well, I never said that now, did I?" 

When the refreshed Kevin joined them, the foursome sat down to a simple hearty dinner of roast beef, potatoes, carrots and homemade soda bread. They finished the meal with cups of coffee – brewed specially for their American guests – and a delicious gooseberry tart. And when talk turned to Abbey and Jed leaving for the inn, Maeve shook her head. 

"I wish ye'd reconsider staying there. We've plenty of room here, with our Kitty off in Dublin and Dermot in Australia. We have an open nest as you Yanks say." 

"Empty nest," Abbey smiled. "But we really didn't want to put you out." 

"Y're family. Family can't put each other out." 

"It's very kind of you," Jed said, "but our bags are already at the inn." 

"'Tis haunted ye know. Did they tell ye that?" 

"No," Jed lifted a brow. Haunted was right up his alley. "But that isn't so surprising, is it? A lot of castles, inns and hotels are reputed to be haunted here in Ireland." 

"Yes, and it does draw in the tourists to be sure. But, Ravensmore Inn doesn't admit to its ghostly happenings, does it? Makes it all the more real if ye ask me." 

"So, what kind of a ghost haunts the inn?" Abbey asked, her interest piqued. 

"Ahh, Maevie, don't get 'em all riled about a ghost. Ye know Brigie likes to tell tales. I bet she made up most of the stuff she told ye." Kevin turned to their guests. "Bridget is Maeve's sister. She worked at the inn as a chambermaid for a time being but says she quit because of ghostly happenings. I'm not sure I believe her. She was most probably fired and didn't want to tell us. Brigie is lazy lass." 

"Kevin, don't ye be sayin' that about me sister." 

"I'm only speakin' the truth. Now, let's talk about tomorrow. The regatta is takin' place in the harbor and since herself here will be busy planning for the ceili, I thought I'd take ye both out on me boat to relax and watch the races if ye like." 

They both agreed that it sounded like a great idea and with the talk turning to the regatta, the ghost of Ravensmore Inn was forgotten. 

**** 

Darkness had settled over the peninsula when Abbey and Jed finally set out for the inn. Since the manor house was only a little over a mile away along a trail that followed the inlet and the moon was full and bright, Abbey convinced Jed to walk. The moon cast silvery shadows over the bay, the rocks and the fields as they strolled hand in hand along the bluff above the placid water that lapped the rocks below them. There was an ethereal romance to walking bathed in the moonlight that was only broken when they reached a circle of stones – druid stones. Suddenly, Abbey felt a chill right to her bones and pressed up close to Jed. 

"Do you feel that?" she asked. 

"Yeah, got cold there all of the sudden. Tide probably turned." 

Abbey nodded. "Probably." But it felt like more than that. It was more than the cold; there was an overwhelming feeling of sadness that inexplicably enveloped her as she stood in the midst of the circle. 

"Look, I can see the lights of the inn," Jed pointed toward the headland where the inlet opened into the sea. Abbey shivered at her first sight of the Ravensmore Inn. Mists swirled around the gothic spires that rose from the tower of the stone manor house and she couldn't shake the feeling that something sinister had happened there. As they approached the entryway, two large stone gargoyles – glaring lions with wings – greeted them. 

"This place gives me the creeps," Abbey said. 

"That's only because of what Maeve told us. If she hadn't said this place was haunted, you probably wouldn't even be thinking twice about it." 

"Maybe, but it still gives me the creeps. I feel like the second Mrs. de Winter on approaching Manderly." 

"Let's just hope our hostess is a little more personable than Mrs. Danvers." 

They were in luck. Kathleen Moriarty was about as far from Mrs. Danvers as possible. Warm and effusive, she dispelled the sense of gloom that the outside of the manor gave off. She informed Jed that he had a message from a Mr. McGarry and while he was brought to a private parlor to make the call, Abbey was led up to their room. The room itself was lovely – a pretty four poster bed, a fireplace and lots of comfortable chairs for reading; however the feeling of warmth dissipated as soon as Kathleen shut the door behind her leaving Abbey alone in the room. 

With Kathleen's departure grew a feeling of unease, a sense of fear that didn't make any sense at all, for there was nothing to be afraid of. Abbey felt drawn to the large window opposite from the bed where, thanks to the white light of the moon, she could easily see the rough sea churning and crashing against the cliffs and the circle of stones that sat like a crown at the highest point. She watched as foggy mists moved into the valley covering the sea and the cliffs like a blanket of smoke. Shivering with the quiet eeriness of it all, she moved away from the window, castigating herself for the silliness of her feelings. She loved the fog in Maine, loved the feeling of peace and quiet, loved to lay snuggled under the covers, preferably in Jed's arms, listening to the foghorns. Jed was right. The only reason she was feeling this way was because Maeve had made her susceptible to it. Resolving to get her act together, she moved to her suitcase and pulled out her silk lounging pajamas to sit in front of the fireplace and read. 

The room was quiet save for the soft crackling of the fire so she nearly jumped out of her skin at the loud bang of shutters slamming against her window and the low mournful howl that accompanied it. It took another gust of wind battering against the house for her to realize that it was indeed only the wind creating such a racket. Her heart beating erratically, she set down her book wishing that Jed would hurry up and get back. The howling of the wind continued on causing the power to flicker off and on in the room until it finally went off completely. Heart slamming in her chest, she got to her feet moving toward the door to her room slowly and quietly as if to keep her presence hidden. Her hand was just reaching out toward the knob when a loud knock caused her to jump back with a sharp gasp of fear. 

"Mrs. Bartlet?" 

Laughing in relief at her own stupidity, Abbey opened the door to see Kathleen standing before her. 

"Are you all right?' Kathleen asked. 

"I'm fine. What happened?" 

"Tis the wind. This is an old house and being out here on the edge of the ocean, any time we get a gale we lose power. Don't fear though. We have a generator that keeps some emergency lights on. But, here's a flashlight just in case." 

"Oh, okay. Thank you for letting me know." 

"Is there anything I can get you? You look a little pale." 

"No. No, I'm fine." 

"All right. Well, good night then." 

"Good night." 

Shaking her head over her fanciful imagination, Abbey moved back to the glow of the fire. She was just about to sit when she heard it – the soft sound of a woman crying. Kathleen? Had she fallen in the dark and hurt herself? Abbey quickly opened the door to her room and looked down the hall. There wasn't anybody there. She and Jed, along with the national security staff, were the only ones present, so all the agents were downstairs. Abbey was alone in the hall. 

About to go back into her room, she heard it again and this time it was louder – the weeping of a woman that could not be denied. It was coming from the end of the hall, near the stairs to the tower. She grabbed the flashlight Kathleen had given her, feeling safer with a weapon in hand, even if it was only a flashlight. The soft glow of the small emergency nightlights that lined the darkened halls gave off shadows that had Abbey's heart racing. The crying grew louder as she got closer to the door – mournful, anguished sobs that were ripped straight from the heart. As she stood before the door, an oppressive icy breath of wind passed over her body causing a chill to run down her spine. Abbey held her breath and reached a sweaty palm out to take the knob. Just as her hand closed over it, a large warm hand grasped her shoulder. She screamed with fright and whipped around intending to smash whoever it was with her flashlight. 

"Whoa, whoa, hold on..." 

Gasping for breath Abbey looked into the amused face of her husband. 

"What the hell were you thinking?!" She slapped at his chest. "You scared the hell out of me." 

"I can see that," he laughed. 

"This isn't funny." Abbey threw herself into his arms and he could feel how hard she was trembling. 

"Hey, what's all this about?" he asked. 

"Sshh...listen." 

"What am I listening for?" 

"There was a woman crying behind this door. I heard her." Then Abbey's eyes narrowed and she pulled out of his embrace. "This isn't some elaborate hoax, is it? Get your cousin to tell me the place is haunted– " 

"Then knock out the power and plant eerie sounds to frighten you so you'll come running into my arms? Do I really have to work that hard?" 

Abbey smiled realizing how ludicrous it sounded. "You're right. But I heard it, Jed. And when I stood here, I felt this weird frigid cold breeze settle over me, just like when we were out at the druid circle." 

"Abbey, hon, you're just creeped out because the power went out and Maeve said the place is haunted. There's a pretty good gale blowing out there. That's probably what sounded to you like a woman crying. And this is an old drafty house, I'm sure it was just the wind that you felt. Come on, let's go back to the room." 

Abbey took his hand and followed. Those were all very logical explanations but somewhere inside she knew he was wrong. She HAD heard a woman crying and she had felt her presence, felt her despair. Who she was and why she was so filled with despair were the things that she didn't know. 

**** 

A hand closed over her breast and Abbey arched into it, loving the way that Jed worshipfully stroked and caressed her chest. But when that hand squeezed onto her harshly, she whimpered and tried to push him away. He refused to leave, slapping her across the face and pinning her to the bed with his strength. His mouth closed angrily over her nipple and she felt her milk let down to flood his mouth and the fury that filled him over that. Why was Jed doing this to her? He was passionate at times, sometimes a little rough, but never violent. Tears worked their way from behind her eyelids. This couldn't be Jed, it couldn't be. With a surge of power, the lights came back on and Abbey looked into the icy maniacal eyes of the man who hovered above her body. Green eyes and black hair. It wasn't Jed at all. She screamed and bolted upright. 

"Abbey?" His own sleep disturbed by dark images of grief and anger, Jed turned to his wife. 

Abbey's eyes focused on him. His hair was mussed, the blankets twisted about his hips belaying his own difficulty sleeping. There was no green-eyed man. It was only a dream. She drew her knees up to her chest still breathing heavily. Jed sat up next to her leaning back against the pillows. He reached a hand out under her silky nightshirt to stroke her bare back. It was sweaty and the sheets were damp. 

"Did you have a nightmare?" he asked. 

Abbey nodded. She told him about the dream. "It was so real. Something bad happened in this room, Jed. There is so much anger and sadness in this house." 

"Abbey," his voice was gentle, filled with compassion as he continued to stroke her back like he was soothing a child. "This isn't the first time you've had a dream like that." 

"I know. But this was different. It wasn't about anything that's happened to me in the past. I've never seen that man before. I'm not even sure that it was about me. I haven't had milk in my breasts for two years and this was a man I had never seen before, yet he had such hatred for me. Are you honestly telling me that you don't feel any of it?" 

"I've felt some things but I'm not sure there isn't a logical explanation for them." It struck him as slightly ironic that it was he comforting his scientific wife with logical explanations. 

"I'm telling you, Jed, something bad happened in this house." She snuggled up to his side running her hand over his chest. "And I'm going to talk to Maeve tomorrow and find out what it was." 


	23. Summer of Us, The

  
Author's notes: Siobhan is pronounced Shivonne and ceili is pronounced kay-lee. Fungi, the dolphin of Dingle Bay truly does exist and since many of you like to know who I am picturing playing the role when I add a new character - think Alan Rickman for the evil Lord Ravensmore.  


* * *

Abbey awoke the next morning still exhausted and quite drained. Her eyelids felt heavy and gritty from lack of sleep. Jed was sitting on the edge of the bed in his boxers rubbing his hands over his face like he did when he was tired and trying to wake himself up. He turned to her when he felt her stir. 

"You didn't sleep well," he said. 

"I look that good?" she grimaced. 

He smiled and rubbed her hip. "I didn't sleep well either. And you look just fine to me. Come on, let's go take a shower." 

"And then you'll call Maeve?" 

"Yes dear, then I'll call Maeve." 

"Good. I'm not spending another night in this place without knowing what's going on." 

**** 

"Thanks for joining us here for breakfast." Jed greeted Maeve and Kevin in the great hall just inside the entryway to the inn. 

"Ye sounded a bit urgent." Maeve's discerning eyes moved to Abbey. "Ye look tired, lass. Did ye not get a good night's sleep?" 

"No, I didn't. And I think you know why." 

"Ye saw the ghost, didn't ye?" Maeve turned to Kevin with an 'I told you so' look. "I told ye the place was haunted. Me sister is not crazy." 

"That's debatable," Kevin muttered. 

Maeve's hands moved to her hips, eyes narrowing dangerously. Jed had seen that look before on a certain little spitfire standing at his side. "Mr. Donahue, would ye like to be going on y're trip today without the nice meal I packed ye?" 

"No, ma'am, I would not." 

"Then ye let up on me little sister." 

Kevin sighed and Jed grinned. He'd been right where Kevin Donahue was now hundreds of times before. 

"Now, tell me what ye saw, lass?" 

"I didn't see much of anything. I felt a terrible sense of fear in that bedroom and a terrible, terrible sadness when I looked out the window toward the druid circle. Then I heard an awful weeping coming from the stairs that led to the tower. It was a woman and it sounded like her heart was breaking." 

"I think it was just the howling of the wind." Jed's statement earned him dirty looks from both women. Maeve shook her head negatively at him and sighed at his foolishness, then turned back to Abbey and took both her hands in hers. 

"T'was Siobhan ye heard, lass." 

"Who is Siobhan?" 

"Let's go in and have some breakfast and I'll tell ye the whole story." 

Maeve held off until their bacon and eggs were placed in front of them before finally starting in on the history of the Ravensmore Inn, once known as Ravensmore Hall. 

"Tis another tragic story, it is. Back round the beginning of the 1800's a beautiful young lass named Siobhan O'Reilly lived here in the village. She was one of twelve children, the daughter of a poor farmer. Well, Siobhan had spent her life in love with a wild local lad – one Kieran O'Connor..." She turned to Jed seeing his eyebrow lift. 

"Yes, lad, he was a distant cousin of your great great great grandda. Kieran was a wild lad, a rebel, had in fact gone off to Dublin to partake in the disastrous 1803 uprising. He came home much tempered by all he had witnessed ready to settle down and start a family with the beauteous Siobhan whom he'd been in love with since they were children. However, before he had the chance to ask for his love's hand in marriage, another had made the request and been given the honor. You see, when the new Lord Ravensmore had arrived from London and made his way through the village on the way to his family's home, Ravensmore Hall, he saw a beautiful lass with hair the color of the brightest flames and a figure that caused a stab of lust so strong he knew that he had to have her. He cared not that Siobhan O'Reilly was an Irish Catholic peasant girl; he wanted to possess her with a need that was as coldly calculating as it was frightening. When the powerful Lord showed up on the doorstep of the O'Reilly croft, Brian O'Reilly wanted to kick him out on his rear. But he could not. He looked at his hungry children and the sunken cheeks of his wife. Unlike the custom of the day where a woman brought a dowry to her marriage, Lord Ravensmore promised Brian O'Reilly all the food his family could eat and an extra plot of land. So, when Siobhan arrived home flushed and glowing from a meeting with Kieran, she was told that she would wed the cold Lord Ravensmore, a man twenty-five years her senior. Siobhan was beside herself. She was devastated. She did everything she could to convince her father to change his mind, begging, pleading and crying, but nothing worked. She had been sold to the highest bidder." 

"Not the first time that's happened to a woman," Abbey commented. 

"No unfortunately not," Maeve agreed. "The following night Siobhan snuck out to meet with Kieran at the druid circle and told him of her betrothal. Being the fiery young man that he was, Kieran was furious with the very idea of his Siobhan being with another man, let alone the dreaded Lord Arthur Ravensmore. He'd heard the rumors of what kind of man the new lord was, of the depravities he forced on the young servant girls that worked for him. T'was such a shame really, for his father was regarded very well by the people of the village. Kieran told Siobhan to pack her things and meet him the next night right where they were at –the circle. He would have a boat waiting and he would take her away. They would get lost in the wilds of Connemara and Lord Ravensmore would never find her. Filled with love for her hero, Siobhan made love with him that night in the circle becoming his woman in all ways but the legal one. Unbeknownst to them, Lord Ravensmore had Siobhan followed and the man following her heard of their plans and watched them make love. He, of course, told the Lord, who was furious with the behavior of his betrothed. He ordered the kidnapping of young Kieran who was grabbed on the way to his assignation with Siobhan. Siobhan arrived at the circle as planned but, of course, Kieran wasn't there. She lay down in the middle of the circle and waited and waited for her beloved to show up but he never came for her. Broken hearted and broken spirited, she returned home the next morning. A month later, she was forced into marriage with Lord Ravensmore. She was also pregnant. Disgusted by the evidence of her betrayal, Lord Ravensmore banished her to a tower bedroom and refused to touch her until after she'd borne her bastard. That was fine with Siobhan. She wanted nothing to do with Ravensmore. She spent her days staring out her window for hours at the circle of stones praying that one day she might see her Kieran there. She lived for her memories of that one beautiful night with him among the druid stones and the babe he had left her in her womb, a babe she loved with all her heart." 

"Now I know why I felt such sadness at the window overlooking the stones," Abbey said. "How awful to have him taken from her. But at least she had his child. That had to be of some comfort." 

"And what happened to Kieran? Where did they bring him" Jed asked. "I imagine that if he loved Siobhan that much, he fought tooth and nail to get back to her." 

"I'm coming to that, lad. Be patient. The night that Siobhan gave birth was a wild, stormy night – the wind howling with the fury of her own labor. She fought and struggled for almost twenty-four hours before finally pushing Kieran's son into the world. When Lord Ravensmore entered the bedroom, Siobhan had the babe held to her breast, nursing the wee one filled with the love and awe that all we mothers have at the births of our children. With a cold icy look of contempt, he ordered the baby removed from her breast. Weakened from the long delivery, Siobhan tried to fight for her babe, but she was no match for the Lord and his henchmen. The babe, he said, would be taken far away to a distant village where another couple would raise him so he would not be forced to give his name to his whore of a wife's Irish bastard. Well, of course, Siobhan was beside herself, her grief at losing both her love and her precious babe had left her numb and suicidal. She refused to eat and simply lay in bed waiting to die. Only a few days later, Lord Ravensmore came to Siobhan's bed. She was his wife and she would now begin her wifely duties." 

"A few days," Abbey's face blanched. 

"She couldn't have healed in a few days," Jed added, then shook his head with saddened disgust. "Oh Lord, what men do to women." 

"Indeed," Maeve agreed, "the world has never been an easy place for women. And you're right, she couldn't have been healed. But that wasn't his problem. He was eager to assert his authority over her and to take what was rightfully his. Even if he had been a kind man or a gentle man, it would not have been easy for Siobhan, but he was not kind or gentle and it was agonizing for her." 

Maeve watched Abbey wince and a haunted look cloud her eyes. It was only then that she remembered having read that the lovely lady sitting before her had also been brutally raped. It was no wonder she commiserated with the peasant girl. 

"That's what I felt in my dream," Abbey turned to Jed. "That's why I had the feeling of milk letting down in my breasts; her milk hadn't dried yet." 

Jed nodded. Maeve's tale had made him a believer. 

"When it was over, torn and bleeding, Siobhan made her way to the window. She looked out over to the druid stones where her love had forsaken her and filled with despair; she jumped out the window to her death." 

"Oh, God, that poor woman," Abbey squeezed Jed's hand. "No wonder there is left over psychic pain in this place. But, what happened to Kieran?" 

"Ah yes, young Kieran. Well, Sir, you guessed it right. Kieran was taken to a deserted island off the coast of Scotland, his one burning thought to find a way to get back to his Siobhan. When the opportunity finally presented itself, he sailed a currach down across the Irish Sea, then made his way across the country back here to Kerry. Ironically, he arrived the day of Siobhan's funeral. Devastated and torn apart with grief, he was pulled aside by the midwife who had attended Siobhan in her delivery and told of the birth of his son. Had Kieran not been so wild with grief or such a hot-head, he might have thought the better of simply barging in on Lord Ravensmore alone, but that's exactly what he did, demanding to be told where his son had been sent. Lord Ravensmore laughed in his face and told him of Siobhan's last day on earth. In a fury, Kieran pulled out a knife and lunged forward only to be shot from behind by Ravensmore's butler." 

"So, it was Siobhan I heard crying from the door to the tower." 

"I think so, lass. It's said the ghost of Siobhan can be heard crying for Kieran and for the babe that had been so cruelly taken from her and that some people have seen a figure in the tower window with long bright red hair looking mournfully toward the druid stones and the sea beyond." 

"That's what your sister heard and saw?" 

"Not all of it. Brigie heard crying from time to time and she felt a strange apprehension in the big master room but she never saw the Lord himself the way you did." 

"Have a lot of people heard and seen this?" 

"Not a lot and never a man. You were probably susceptible to Siobhan because you're a woman and a mother and to Ravensmore because you're beddin' down with an O'Connor." 

Abbey's eyes flew to Jed's and she knew they were both thinking the same thing – and because she had been violated in a similar way to Siobhan. 

Kevin looked at his watch. "Well, enough with these ghost stories. If we're going to get out on the bay we really should get moving." 

"Yes, well," Maeve stood and they all started out of the dining room, "I've made ye up a nice picnic basket with thick roast beef sandwiches." 

"I put it in the parlor," Kathleen said. They all moved into the parlor but Jed was brought up short, nearly crashing into Abbey's back when she stopped abruptly and froze. 

"Abbey?" 

Her eyes were glued to the oil painting that hung above the fireplace. A painting of a middle aged man with shoulder length black hair streaked with gray and the coldest green eyes she'd ever seen. She shivered in spite of the warmth in the room. 

"That's him, isn't it?" Her voice was almost a whisper. "It's Ravensmore." 

"That's him all right," Maeve said. 

Jed felt the irrational urge to plant his fist right in the middle of the condescending smile that curved on the bastard's lips. How dare that sniveling little prick invade his wife's dreams, hurting her and scaring her. He had to remind himself that the man had been dead for almost 200 years and that Abbey bore no physical scars from what amounted to nothing but a dream. 

Maeve touched Abbey's arm. "Why don't ye have y're things packed up and come down to the farm so ye don't have to spend another night here." 

"Thanks, Maeve. We really appreciate that," Jed agreed. 

"No." Abbey's forceful pronouncement turned all attention to her. "I'm not giving him the satisfaction of running me out of here. Lord Ravensmore thrived on terrorizing helpless women who had no recourse but to give in to his sick little demands. I'm not helpless and now that I know who he is and what he is up to, I'm not going to be afraid of him in the least. All bullies are cowards at heart. Even ghosts." 

Jed started to follow Abbey from the room then turned and gave one last look at the sneering portrait of Lord Arthur Ravensmore. "So, your lordship," he said proudly, "put that in your pipe and smoke it." 

**** 

"So that's they way it still is, eh lad?" Kevin had been watching the hungry look in Jed Bartlet's eyes as he watched his bikini clad wife reclining back on the deck of the boat smoothing sunscreen into her flat belly. 

"What?" Lulled out of the enjoyable pastime of admiring his wife's very feminine physique, he turned to see Kevin grinning at him. 

"The lass. Ye have the look of a man who'd like to devour her. Can't blame ye for that. She's a looker all right." Kevin's eyes stayed on Abbey as she smoothed the lotion over the exposed swells of her chest. 

Jed's eyes narrowed. "Sounds to me like you've been doing a little looking yourself." 

"I'm old son, but I reckon I'm not dead yet. Y're wife would turn the head of the Pope himself." 

Jed laughed. "That she would." 

Abbey lowered her sunglasses to look at the two conspiring men. "Are you boys talking about me?" she asked. 

"We're ogling ye, lass." Kevin told her, quite pleased to be referred to as a "boy". 

An amused smile touched Abbey's lips. "Well, that's okay then." She leaned back and stretched out her fine slender curves, sleek as a feline. 

"I like that woman of yours." Kevin laughed and patted Jed on the shoulder. 

"So do I, Kevin. So do I." Jed moved to sit next to Abbey and the two relaxed soaking up the sun and enjoying the view as they passed by secret coves, smugglers caves hidden among the towering cliffs and a plethora of seabirds and seals sunning themselves on the rocks that the swelling waves of the bay crashed up against so dramatically. 

A little over an hour later, they arrived at a mooring in the little fishing harbor where Kevin kept his boat most of the time. Abbey threw on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt over her bikini and Jed donned a navy blue "Fighting Irish" T-shirt to go with his bright yellow and navy swimming trunks and they went ashore. With the huge Secret Service presence, their visit could not go unnoticed but they still spent an enjoyable hour taking in the carnival-like atmosphere of the town. The Dingle Regatta was one of the oldest boat races in the country and attracted huge crowds of people. Lively music filled the air along with the many different scents of cooking foods. Crowds of people – some speaking Irish, some English – crowded in front of the vendors that lined the streets. Abbey, Jed and Kevin purchased hot cups of coffee and began moving from vendor to vendor to check out their wares. Abbey picked out two little T-shirts with Fungi the Dingle Bay dolphin splashing around on the front for the twins and Dingle Regatta T-shirts for herself and Jed, while Jed chose two cuddly stuffed Fungi Dolphins and two toy currach boats for Nicholas and Aislinn. Then, before the races began, they took their packages and got back on the boat. Kevin then motored them out to the edge of the harbor and anchored in a spot where they could watch the regatta with a modicum of privacy. No ordinary regatta, these races were run not by rich men in yachts but instead by rowers in traditional curraches. The currach was a long row boat style vessel made from wood and animal hide in the old days – wood and canvas these days – and was unique to the western coasts of Ireland and Scotland. They had been used for fishing and travel since at least the time of Julius Caesar who had reported seeing them sailing on the North Atlantic. 

Enjoying the sun on their bare skin, Abbey and Jed kicked back to eat lunch and watch the strong rowers maneuver their frail looking vessels around the placid blue harbor to victory or defeat. It was early afternoon by the time they finally started back down the inlet toward the farm. Abbey had been disappointed that they hadn't had a sighting of Fungi the Dingle Bay dolphin, whose likeness had been everywhere in town. Fungi was a very famous dolphin indeed. He had turned up alone one day in the harbor in 1984 and had never left. He loved people and enjoyed swimming alongside the tour boats that circled the bay and the swimmers who braved the cold water to swim with him. Abbey had hoped to be one of those swimmers but it didn't seem like her wish was going to come true until Jed spotted the dolphin diving and surfacing only a few hundred yards away from the boat and pointed him out to her. 

"Kevin, stop and drop the anchor," she called out while quickly divesting herself of the T-shirt she had donned to cover her suit. "I'm going in." 

"Lass, that water is pretty frigid," Kevin warned as he released the throttle. The boat stopped and began to rock back and forth on the swells. 

"You ever heard of something called the Labrador Current?" 

"I have." 

"Well, I swim in it all the time in Maine. I'm used to icy North Atlantic water." As the boat finally came to a complete stop, she dove in off the side surfacing with a loud expletive. 

"Told you it was cold," Kevin laughed. 

"Not all that cold," Abbey called out stubbornly. "It's simply refreshing. Come on in, Jed." 

Just looking at the cold water caused Jed's balls to recede within him. "I think I'll just watch you swim." 

"Chicken!" she laughed and splashed him, then gave a start of surprise when a squawking dolphin surfaced just a couple feet away from her. 

"Well, hello, Fungi. How are you today?" 

The dolphin tossed its head and squawked some more. 

"Why do I feel like I just stepped into an episode of Flipper?" Jed asked. 

Abbey reached a tentative hand out to touch the smooth skin of the dolphin then looked back up at Jed with a look of awe and challenge. "Are you going to let me tell Aislinn and Nicholas that their mom was the only one brave enough to swim in the cold sea with a dolphin?" 

Jed thought on it for a moment but he really had no choice. His wife was impugning his manhood and that just could not be allowed. "Oh hell," he grumbled. He threw off his T-shirt and with a loud shout of "Geronimo!" He dove into the sea next to his wife. 

"SHIT!" He surfaced with the same expletive as Abbey had then turned as he heard her laughter. 

"You think it's funny, Abigail Bartlet?" 

"I do." 

Jed glared for a moment then with a wicked grin he dove under water and grabbed her ankles, pulling her under with him until they both rose breathlessly from the depths laughing and grabbing at each other. Fungi swam beside them nudging them for attention while they frolicked and swam. For Abbey and Jed, it was a once in a lifetime moment, swimming in the natural environment with a wild and yet charmingly magnificent creature. 

The water was indeed very cold and their numbing bodies soon required them to reluctantly leave the playful dolphin behind and climb up the ladder to the boat. Shivering, with bluing lips, they gratefully wrapped themselves in large fluffy towels. 

"Those towels aren't gonna warm ye from within. Try a nip of this." Kevin handed Jed a silver flask. Jed took a sip and felt the burn all the way to his toes while Abbey choked and sputtered, tears filling her eyes. 

"What is that?" Jed finally asked when he could speak again. 

"100% Irish whiskey," Kevin grinned proudly. 

"I drink Irish whiskey – and Scotch. Doesn't taste like anything I've ever had before." 

"I don't think I have an esophagus left," Abbey coughed and rubbed at her throat. But true to Kevin's words, her body already felt quite a bit warmer. 

"I'm telling ye, it's pure Irish whiskey. Right out of me friend Paddy's still." 

"Still? This is moonshine?" 

"I reckon that's what you Yanks call it." 

Abbey laughed. "Well, this definitely has to be a first for us – drinking moonshine and swimming with a dolphin in a smuggler's cove." 

"Y're having fun, lass?" Kevin touched her elbow. 

"Yeah, Kevin," she flashed him her megawatt smile. "I'm having an awful lot of fun. 

"Well, ye better get ready for even more fun, 'cause you ain't seen nothin' yet. Maeve's been plannin' this ceili for the two of ye ever since she heard ye were comin'. The place will be fairly crawlin' with O'Connors and O'Flynns – and maybe a Donahue or two," he winked. "There'll be music playin', a bonfire burnin', singin' and dancin' and, of course, the Guinness will be flowin'." 

"We've been looking forward to it ever since we got Maeve's invitation. I'm really interested in meeting more relatives and Abbey, well, she just likes to dance." 

"Ye like to dance, lass?" 

"I love to dance," Abbey enthused. 

"Will ye make sure to save a reel for me?" 

"I'd be honored to dance a reel with you." 

"Good then. Well, what are we waiting for? Let's raise the anchor, we've got a party to get to!" 


	24. Summer of Us, The

  
Author's notes: The name Roisin is pronounced Rosheen.  


* * *

An Irish ceili, Abbey and Jed soon found out, was an awful lot like their own St. Patrick's Day parties back home. Tables laden with food were set up buffet style beside the farmhouse and the many guests – all distant relatives of Jed's – balanced paper plates in their hands or on their laps while they ate. The Guinness was flowing – along with Irish whiskey – and the lilting Irish voices that laughed, chatted and argued the way that families did when they got together. Music filled the night air with the uniquely Celtic sounds of the bodrain and the uillean pipes, the fiddle and the flute, the Irish harp and the banjo. It was hand clapping, toe tapping music that had many of the guests out on the dance floor that was set up not all that far from the blazing bonfire. Abigail Bartlet, First Lady of the United States, was one of those guests kicking up her heels. 

Standing at the edge of the dance floor, Jed Bartlet watched his wife swing from partner to partner in a wild Saint Anne's Reel that had her laughing with the pure joy of being alive. She wore a thin wrap around skirt of the brightest peacock blue and a gauzy white camisole style blouse embroidered with the same vivid blue along with emerald green and amber gold – the colors in her eyes. She was barefoot, as were many of the women dancing, her long hair hanging loosely down her back and Jed couldn't take his eyes off her. Around and around she went from one man to the next, each wanting their turn with her until breathless and laughing, her eyes sparkling with delight, she stopped in front of him. Frank appreciative eyes ran over him and from the light of desire did not find him wanting. Abbey took his beer from his hand and brought it to her lips tipping her head back to quench her thirst. Instead of giving it back to him though, she turned to a woman standing beside him. 

"Would you mind holding this?" she asked. "My husband wants to dance." 

"Abbeeey..." Jigs and reels were not a big part of Jed's repertoire. He was more comfortable with a nice sedate waltz, foxtrot or even an easy shag, but Abbey was having none of his protests. She hooked an arm through his and dragged him out to the floor to swing with her to a rollicking version of "The Kerry Dance" until he was as laughing and breathless as she was. Clapping at the end of the song just as another was to begin, Jed noticed a raven-haired little girl of about five or six standing on the edge of the dance floor, her toe tapping to the music. Her mother was chatting with a group of relatives and not paying any attention to her daughter's longing to dance. 

"You mind?" he asked Abbey, tilting his head toward the little girl. She smiled. 

"No, go ahead." 

Jed made his way to the child and bent before her. "I know that you've probably been told by your Ma not to talk to strangers, which is exactly what I tell my little girl, but do you know who I am?" 

The little girl nodded shyly. "You're the President of America and you're my cousin." 

"That's right I am. And what is your name?" 

"Roisin O'Flynn." 

"Well, Roisin, that's a very pretty name. You know, I have a little girl a few years younger than you and she isn't here tonight to dance with me and I miss her terribly, so I was wondering, if it's okay with your mom, would you like to come out and dance with me?" 

The girl nodded eagerly and Jed glanced up to see that the group of women had stopped talking and were watching him and Roisin converse with wide eyes. "Would it be all right if I dance with Roisin?" he asked. 

"Oh, of course," her mother agreed. "T'would be a real honor for the lass." 

"Well, I'm not sure about that," Jed grinned down at the child. "My little girls give me a hard time because sometimes I step on their toes. I'm not a very good dancer." 

"It's okay," Roisin said. "I'll show you how and I won't even yell at you if you step on me toes." 

"It's a deal," Jed winked and led her out onto the floor. 

Taking a breather, Abbey sipped her beer and watched Jed dancing with the little girl. She felt her chest tighten and the sting of tears as she watched him twirl the child around with a smile lighting his handsome face. She loved to watch him with children; the man had been born to be a father. She wiped quickly at the tear that trailed down her cheek before anyone saw it. She was too late. Maeve slipped an arm around her waist and saw where Abbey's gaze lay. 

"Ah lass, y're missin' y're wee ones, aren't ye?" 

Abbey nodded, her eyes tearing up again. "They'd be having such a good time tonight." 

"I know it's hard. But it has been good for you to get away with y're man, hasn't it?" 

"It has. But you're right it is hard. There's always this pull – my husband, my children – each has such a strong hold on me." 

"Tis the way it is for we mothers. But ye know, y're always welcome here. Kevin and I would love to have ye come back some time with the two little ones." 

"I'd really like that, Maeve, thank you. I've been thinking an awful lot about bringing the twins back here. There's so much that Jed and I would like them to see, so much more that we'd like to see." 

"Then you do that. And, next time ye come I won't be taking no for an answer. You'll stay right here, not at the Ravensmore." 

Abbey laughed. "I think I'll take you up on that this time." 

The fast paced music of the fiddle soon gave way to the lovely Irish harp and the beautiful sultry voice of a young woman singing a sad Irish ballad that had Jed wrapping his arms around Abbey from behind, his chin resting on the top of her head, the two swaying softly in the shadow of the bonfire flames. When the woman finished her song, Maeve took to the small stage. 

"We've got a real treat for ye now. When I was planning this ceili and I told him of the music and singing, the President told me that his wife has a lovely voice. I asked her if she would sing for us tonight and she agreed. So, everyone, Abbey Bartlet." 

Abbey moved to where the small band was set up and stood before the microphone. "Normally when I sing an Irish tune, other than lullabies to my children, it is St. Patrick's Day and 'Danny Boy' is the song of choice. But since I promised Maeve that I'd sing that with her a little later, I thought I'd sing you a song that ties together Ireland and America. The first time I heard it I must admit that it made me weep. I hope you all like it. It's called 'Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears'." 

Accompanied only by a solitary haunting flute and the soft strumming of an acoustic guitar, Abbey began. 

> " _On the first day in January,_  
>  Eighteen ninety-two,   
> They opened Ellis Island and they let   
> The people through.   
> And the first to cross the threshold   
> Of that isle of hope and tears,   
> Was Annie Moore from Ireland   
> Who was all of fifteen years. 
> 
> Isle of hope, isle of tears,   
> Isle of freedom, isle of fears,   
> But it's not the isle you left behind.   
> That isle of hunger, isle of pain,   
> Isle you'll never see again   
> But the isle of home is always on your mind. 
> 
> In a little bag she carried   
> All her past and history,   
> And her dreams for the future   
> In the land of liberty.   
> And courage is the passport   
> When your old world disappears   
> But there's no future in the past   
> When you're only fifteen years 
> 
> Isle of hope, isle of tears,   
> Isle of freedom, isle of fears,   
> But it's not the isle you left behind.   
> That isle of hunger, isle of pain,   
> Isle you'll never see again   
> But the isle of home is always on your mind. 
> 
> When they closed down Ellis Island   
> In nineteen forty-three,   
> Seventeen million people   
> Had come there for sanctuary.   
> And in springtime when I came here   
> And I stepped onto its piers,   
> I thought of how it must have been   
> When you're only fifteen years. 
> 
> Isle of hope, isle of tears,   
> Isle of freedom, isle of fears,   
> But it's not the isle you left behind.   
> That isle of hunger, isle of pain,   
> Isle you'll never see again   
> But the isle of home is always on your mind."   
>  ( _Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears_ by Brendan Graham)

There was nary a dry eye to be found as Abbey finished her song, including her own. "I told you it makes me weep," she smiled through her tears and swiped her fingers under her eyes trying not to smudge her mascara. "Now, I'm going to let my husband break your hearts a little more." Abbey ceded the mike to Jed. 

"Don't worry," he told them. "I'm not going to be singing, Abbey's the voice in the family." Everyone laughed and urged him on to sing. "No, no, I'm not going to sing. But I am going to recite the words to a song that my grandmother Kate Flynn of Boston used to sing while she cooked supper for my brother and I when we were visiting her. For some reason, even as a little boy, the tragedy of that song always touched me probably because it touched the part of me that is Irish and after talking to cousin Maeve here and getting to know more of my family – our family – history, it has only moved me even more. It's called _The Irish Immigrant_. 

> " _I'm sitting on a stile, Mary_  
>  Where we once sat side by side   
> On a bright May morning long ago   
> When first you were my bride   
> The corn was springing fresh and green   
> And the lark sang loud and high   
> And the red was on your lips Mary   
> And the love-light in your eyes. 
> 
> 'Tis but a step down yonder lane   
> The village church stands near.   
> The place where we were wed, Mary   
> I can see the spire from here   
> But the graveyard lies between Mary   
> And my step might break your rest   
> Where I laid you darling down to sleep   
> With a baby on your breast. 
> 
> I'm very lonely now Mary   
> For the poor make no new friends   
> But O, they love the better still   
> The few our Father sends.   
> For you were all I had Mary   
> My blessing and my pride   
> And I've nothing left to care for now   
> Since my poor Mary died. 
> 
> Yours was the good brave heart, Mary   
> That still kept hoping on   
> When the trust in God had left my soul   
> And my arms' young strength had gone   
> There was comfort ever on your lip   
> And a kind look on your brow   
> And I thank you Mary for the same   
> Though you cannot hear me now. 
> 
> I'm bidding you a long farewell My Mary, kind and true   
> But I'll not forget you, darling   
> In the land I'm going to   
> They say there's bread and work for all   
> And the sun shines always there   
> But I'll not forget old Ireland   
> Were it fifty times as fair. 
> 
> And often in those grand old woods   
> I'll sit and shut my eyes   
> And my heart will wander back again   
> To the place where Mary lies   
> And I'll think I see that little stile   
> Where we sat side by side   
> In the springing corn and the bright May morn   
> when first you were my bride"   
>  ( _Lament of the Irish Immigrant_ Ascribed to Lady Dufferin)

There was a profound silence and more tears shed as Jed Bartlet finished his recitation. Many of those present had heard the old folk song before, but none had been privy to the oratorical skills of Josiah Bartlet in person – the pitch and timbre of his deeply hypnotical voice, the way he drew them into the story, the sadness that broke his speech as he spoke of his long lost love. The man was a master. 

"Och, does he know how to tell a tale or what?" Maeve asked as the clapping died down. "He may say he's only part Irish but I can tell ye, it's the biggest part of him." 

Jed grinned and bowed his head to her in thanks. 

"And now, since we Irish love to smile through our tears, how about a nice fun jig for all. Tears forgotten, the fiddlers started up again and Jed laughed watching Maeve, her daughter Kitty and Abbey teaching young Roisin how to jig. How many times had he watched Abbey with their girls teaching them that very dance? How he wished that they could be with them here tonight – all of them from Elizabeth down to Nicholas. 

Stopping for a moment to catch her breath, Abbey caught her husband's gaze. Her head tilted to one side and a puzzled wrinkle creased her brow as she tried to figure out what was going through his mind to bring on that sad almost wistful look on his face. The dance ended and she sashayed over to him the way that she did when she had a few drinks too many. 

"You look like you're a million miles away. What are you thinking about?" she asked. 

"What we talked about in Galway – bringing the kids to Ireland. I really think we should come back here with them." 

"I'm one step ahead of you, handsome. I already have an invitation from Maeve to come back and stay here." 

"You work fast." 

"I try." Abbey shivered as a chilly breeze ran over her bare skin. 

"Cold?" he asked. 

"A little." 

He pulled out a thin silver flask from his pocket and handed it to her. Abbey eyed it; it wasn't like Jed to carry a flask. 

"Where did you get this?" she asked. 

"Maeve gave it to me. That's the O'Flynn family crest engraved on the front. She wanted me to have a family heirloom." 

"She's a great lady." Abbey brought the flask to her lips then stopped. "This isn't that rotgut moonshine of Kevin's, is it?" 

"Nope, pure Bushmill's. And, it's called poteen here, darlin' mine, not moonshine." 

"I'll have to remember that. It would be terrible indeed to make a faux pas over illegal liquor." 

"We'll forgive you this time." 

"We'll?" Abbey lifted a brow at the word and the patronizing tone. 

"We Flynns. From what I hear from Kevin, you O'Neills are notoriously unable to hold your liquor." 

"Really?" Abbey's flashed dangerously as they did when she was challenged and rather than her usual little nip, she took a large swig from the flask feeling every inch of the burning whiskey's smooth trip down her throat to warm in her belly. Unwilling to give Jed the satisfaction of coughing, she swallowed convulsively tears burning her eyes. 

"You okay?" Jed's eyes twinkled with amusement. 

"I'm fine." She insisted with bravado. But, as she stepped forward to hand him the flask, she lost her balance and had to grip his arm. 

"You sure you're okay?" 

"Yeah, the world just decided to do a little spin there. Must be too much smoke." 

"It couldn't be the Guinness and Bushmill's, could it?" 

"I'm not drunk." 

"You're right, you aren't,' he agreed, "not quite yet anyway." 

"You want to go for a little walk and clear our heads." 

"OUR heads?" he grinned. "I'm not the one who feels the world spinning." 

"Fine, I'll go alone." She turned from him only to be grabbed from behind. 

"Oh no you don't. You aren't wandering around into the mists alone." 

Abbey giggled. "Don't tell me that now YOU'RE afraid of ghosts." 

"Of course not. But I'm a gentleman and a gentleman would never let a lady walk off into the dark alone." 

"Especially if said gentleman thought he might get to cop a few feels off in the dark." 

"As if I'd try anything like that." 

"You better try something like that. Otherwise what's the point in leading you off into the dark." 

Jed laughed; she'd gotten him again with her unpredictability. "I love the way your mind works, Abigail Bartlet." 

She tiptoed up to whisper into his ear. "And I love the way your hands work, Jed Bartlet." She sank her teeth gently into his earlobe and despite the alcohol consumption that had left him feeling rather buzzed as well, Jed felt an excited stirring that moved from his belly quite quickly to his groin. 

"Okay, let's go." He was now eager to dash off into the dark, but not so eager that he forgot to be a gentleman. He made a quick stop at the house to get Abbey's shawl and only after he had placed it over her bare shoulders, did he lead her off on the trail that led through what passed for woods in Ireland, toward the cove. Somewhere along the way, Abbey had gently taken the lead, tugging him easily along the path she wanted to take. 

"Do you know where we're going?" It was not a question but a warning. 

"I know exactly where we're going." Within a few minutes they were walking along the bluff above the sea and heading straight for the mist shrouded druid circle. Abbey broke from Jed's hold and walked to the middle of the circle then turned to him. In jeans that hugged his trim form, a soft blue chambray shirt that matched his beautiful eyes and his bronze hair – boyishly shaggy and in need of a trim – he was incredibly sexy and incredibly irresistible. 

"Abbey?" He was confused by what it looked like she wanted. 

"I know what I'm doing. There has been far too much sadness and heartache in this place. I think we can change that. Would you please dance with me here in the middle of the circle, Dr. Bartlet?" She held out her hand to him and he moved to join her. 

"I'd be honored, Dr. Bartlet." He slid an easy intimate arm around her tiny waist to pull her close to him; her breasts pressed up against his chest just where he wanted them. Let those other men have her for the reels, this is the way that he wanted his Abbey – all soft lush curves warm against him. They were close enough to the party to be able to hear the music filtering through the woods toward them. The lovely sensual voice of the woman who had been singing earlier had taken over from the fiddles and the pipes and a romantic ballad settled over them like a comfortable cloak. They slowly began to sway to the music, more of an embrace than a dance. Abbey lay her head against Jed's chest, rubbing her cheek sensuously back and forth, reveling in the scent of him – all male and smoke from the bonfire – and the feel of his strong arms enclosing her against him. Never did she feel so safe and so cherished as when she was held in her husband's arms. Tears burned in her eyes at the overwhelming emotion she felt while contemplating just how lucky she was to have a man, a strong man, who was just as gentle as he was powerful. A man who would rather cut off his right arm than ever hurt her. She gazed up at him, love and the moonlight shining in her eyes and he kissed her, gently at first, in that bone melting way that caused her to sink heavily against his body. She kissed him back sweetly, intimately, her tongue dancing with his. He tasted of whiskey and a hint of cigarettes. She pulled back and traced a finger over his bottom lip and the little dip below it. 

"You've been smoking tonight." 

He bent his head and began to nuzzle in that spot just behind her earlobe that always made her weak in the knees. "You gonna hold it against me?" he murmured. 

"Not if you keep doing that," she sighed. "You know I can't think straight when kiss me there." 

"Why do you think I do it?" 

By the time he got back to her lips, Abbey's passion had been ignited. She was a mass of ache and need and erotic energy. She kissed him deeply, wildly, her hands tugging impatiently to untuck his shirt so her palms could play over his chest and his back. He knew then why she had brought him here – to make love to her among the druid stones. Excitement and desire swamped him like a tidal wave and he kissed her back, grasping her sweet rear in his hands to grind her into him, his erection burgeoning against her passionate willing body. He tugged just as impatiently at her slim fitting skirt, lifting it up over her thighs and then her hips, the need to feel her bare skin almost primal. She worked at his belt buckle and his zipper and before they knew it, he was seated on her shawl leaning back against one of the stones while she straddled his thighs, her skirt shucked up over her hips, her head falling back with surrender as she took him within her body. Jed's hands moved to her blouse unbuttoning it and pressing his lips into the flesh that he exposed while she squirmed her hips and pelvis against him. When finally her blouse was open, he expertly flicked the front clasp on her pretty lace bra and buried his face between her two gorgeous firm milky white breasts. No words were needed, no instructions given. They played each other's bodies as a virtuoso would play a beloved and well-known instrument. Loving tender touches exploded with passion, need, and adoration until finally, straining together with fingers tightly entwined they flew over the edge of ecstasy crying their delight through the mists toward the night sky and God above. 

They stayed together when it was over, two lovers joined as one, lips and fingers gentle and tender now. The familiar musky smell of sex combined with the tangy scent of the sea and the moist earthiness of the soil to make the moment only more natural and more elemental. The sound of haunting Celtic flutes coming through the mists only added to the surrealness of it all. 

"I'm never going to forget this night, Jed." Abbey's fingers played at the nape of his neck where his longer than normal hair was starting to curl. It was such a shame to have to cut it for a more presidential look. 

"Me either." His hands were still warm on her breasts, caressing and soothing. How lucky he was to have a wife – a lover – like Abbey so completely unafraid to show her unbridled passion, her desire, and so unashamed of her body and her needs and her responses to his touch. To have a woman who genuinely enjoyed sex, especially with the same partner for so many years, was a true blessing indeed. 

As Abbey nuzzled along Jed's jaw line, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck prickle with the feeling that they were being watched. She turned to look toward the edge of the bluff and saw through the mist a woman standing there with a smile on her face. She froze. 

"Jed." She pushed his hands from her breasts and tried to close her blouse. "There's someone watching us." 

Tugging her skirt down over her hips to give her a little modestly even though he was still inside her body Jed turned to where Abbey was looking. 

"I don't see anyone. You sure it isn't the Bushmill's talking?" His hand moved back toward her breast but Abbey pushed it away. 

"You don't see her? Right there, she has red hair and..." Abbey trailed off as she realized just who she was describing and who she was seeing at the edge of the druid circle. She felt a peace emanate from the woman, a sense of well being that had not been here in this sad spot last night. 

"Abbey, I don't..." Jed's own words caught in his throat as he watched the shadowy vision of a man make his way across the circle, a man in clothes that people just did not wear in the 21st century. It was only then that he saw the woman, saw the beautiful radiant smile of joy that touched her lips as the man took her hand and pulled her into his arms. The couple embraced and then simply vanished. 

"Did you see that?" Abbey breathed. 

Jed shook his head as if to clear it. "I didn't think that I'd had that much to drink, but I must have." 

"You didn't have too much to drink. I saw it too. It was Siobhan and Kieran." 

"We didn't just see two ghosts." He sounded as if he were trying to convince himself as much as her. 

"We most certainly did. And more than that, we did it. We brought love back to this place of pain and sorrow." 

"You really think that we did that? That by making love here, we reunited two souls in limbo." 

Abbey nodded and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Love can conquer anything, Jed. You have to know that by now." 

He smiled and kissed her back. "I do, Abbey. I really do." 


	25. Summer of Us, The

"Did ye have any problems with ghostly happenings last night?" Maeve sat down at the breakfast table at the Ravensmore with the First Couple. 

"Ye both look a bit peaked this morning." 

"I think that has more to do with imbibing a bit too much and a late night – a very late night." Jed's gaze fell on Abbey and though she was looking down picking at her muffin rather than eating it, Maeve caught the slight twitch of amusement on her lips. 

"I think we've exorcised the ghosts of the Ravensmore Inn once and for all." Abbey looked up color rising becomingly in her cheeks at the memory of the night before and of how they had accomplished such a feat. Of she and Jed making love among druid stones and later in the wee hours of the night back in their bed at the inn – proving to Lord Ravensmore's evil presence that she was indeed not afraid of him in the least and that hatred and violence had no place in lovemaking. 

That light flush and the soft intimate looks passing between the couple told Maeve all that she needed to know about what had kept the President and his First Lady up so late. Having never been around important famous people, it had been a revelation for her to see how normal, down to earth and physically affectionate the President and First Lady were – that they were just a normal couple very much in love with one another. 

"I'm glad ye had a better night. And, since y're leaving today, I guess there's something else I should be telling ye about the story of Siobhan and Kieran." 

"The boy?" Abbey sipped her coffee. "You never told us what happened to that baby boy." 

"How right ye are, lass. I didn't want to frighten ye anymore more than ye were. But before ye leave, ye really should be told. With Kieran's death, his brother Joseph put together a group of men to confront Ravensmore and find out where his nephew was being kept. One afternoon while Ravensmore was off riding, he was surrounded and attacked by this group. Being the coward that he was at heart, he gave Joseph all the information he needed to find the boy. Joseph immediately went to village and brought his nephew home to be raised by him and his wife along with their own six children." Maeve paused to sip her tea. 

"Why would that be frightening to us?' 

"Ye must let me finish. That boy, young Seamus, married and fathered a daughter. Her name was Mary Elizabeth O'Connor." 

Abbey's eyes widened. "Mary Elizabeth? The Mary Elizabeth who lost her first family to the famine?" 

"The one and only." 

Jed tried to digest what this woman was telling him. "You're saying that Siobhan and Kieran are my great great great great great grandparents?" 

"Ye figured that out very quickly in your head, lad." 

"He's like a savant that way," Abbey smiled tenderly at her husband and took his hand. 

Jed didn't respond. He was trying to process this news. Trying to come to terms with the fact that the wild impetuous young man who had fought so hard to get back to the woman he loved and the beautiful, loyal young woman who had longed so desperately for him and had been treated so brutally were actually a part of his history – that their blood flowed in his veins as surely as the great, noble American revolutionary, Josiah Bartlett's did. 

"Are you okay?" Abbey's fingers gently stroked Jed's hand. 

"Yeah, it's just a lot to take in. Those sad stories are a part of me. That passionate couple dying so very young at the hands of evil and Mary Elizabeth losing so much when she was barely more than a child herself are part of my own history." 

"Tis the history of Ireland," Maeve said. "Why do ye think we have so many sad songs?" 

"But it isn't all sadness," Abbey said. "Inadvertently, Ravensmore did the world a favor. He didn't kill the baby, which would have ended the line. He sent him away so that he was ultimately found and raised by his family. Later that young man fathered a remarkably strong, resilient young woman who left all that she knew behind to start a new life and a new family in America. And, a few generations later America elected her great, great, great, grandson President of the United States. A man with their strength and courage and passion and a bit of Kieran's hot headed temper too, of course." 

Jed nodded with a smile. Abbey could always make him smile. 

"I have a feelin' that's why you were able to feel things in the house and on the land that as I said before men never felt. You were more connected." 

"Sir?" Ron poked his head into the dining room. "Are you ready?" 

"Yeah, we're ready." They all got to their feet but as Jed walked hand in hand down the hall with Abbey, he paused and turned to lead her into the parlor. They stood together before the portrait of the haughty, cold Lord Arthur Ravensmore. Staring at the portrait, his mind wandered to what his ancestors had endured at the hands of this man, to how this man's spirit had tried to come back and terrorize his wife. He thought of his own children frolicking on the beach back home along the coast of Maine, the blood of Siobhan and Kieran continuing on into another generation. His arm slipped around Abbey's waist and he gave the portrait an icy look of his own. 

"You lose, Ravensmore." His tone was one of contempt. "We were always stronger than you." He looked down on his lovely wife and smiled at her. "Let's go." 

On the way down the stairs toward the motorcade, Jed stopped to look back at the manor and an odd look crossed his face. 

"What's wrong?" Abbey asked. 

"I think I'm going to need more therapy." 

Her brow furrowed. It was hard to believe that Jed was taking things this hard, after all it had all happened a very long time ago. "Therapy?" 

"Yeah. It's not every day you find out that your great-whatever grandmother watched you having sex with your wife and was smiling about it." He gave a shudder and she smiled at him impishly. 

"Kind of like being caught by your mother masturbating?" 

"Abigail, if my mother had ever caught me masturbating, it would have put HER in therapy." 

Abbey's peals of laughter followed them all the way to the car. 

**** 

After bidding an emotional and heartfelt farewell to Maeve and Kevin, with promises to come back and visit with the children and an invitation extended for the Irish couple to come to the States and have a sleep in the Lincoln bedroom – a supposedly haunted site as well, Abbey and Jed got into the SUV and the motorcade left the small farm. Before making their way to the field where Marine One awaited, there was a pre-planned stop at the Gallarus Oratory. All around them on the Dingle Peninsula, Jed and Abbey had seen the strange stone "beehive" huts, so called because they looked like rounded beehives or stone igloos. Maeve had told them that they had once housed the Iron Age population and later Christian hermits and that they had been used as dwellings as late as the 12th century when the incoming Normans pushed the Irish off the good land and out onto the peninsulas of the island. The Gallarus, however, had a different shape, more of a triangle or an upside down ark that indicated that it had been built by the monks around 700 A.D. as a church and had been used as a place of worship, possibly as late as the 1700's during the penal code when the English had tried to eradicate Catholicism and the people had been forced to find secret places to celebrate Mass. Built entirely without mortar and exposed to the harsh Atlantic winds and rains for well over 1,000 years, it was still waterproof and in perfect condition. Abbey and Jed bent to enter through the too small doorway into the darkened hut but didn't stay in long as there wasn't much to see inside. 

Back outside in the sunlight, Abbey sat on a rock overlooking the pastoral farmland down to Smerwick Harbor. The breeze blew her long strawberry tresses back off her face and Jed was presented with her lovely profile, and the far away look in her eyes. 

"What are you thinking about?" he asked. 

"You might not be too happy when you hear." 

"Since when has that every stopped you?" He sat down beside her and tucked a wayward strand of silky hair behind her ear. She turned to him then, eyes serious and earnest. 

"Being at the inn, hearing Siobhan's story, it's only made me even more aware of the fact that women have always been vulnerable to violent and evil men in all periods and in all countries and cultures and that my experiences have been shared by many other poor women – who were not necessarily wives of important, high-profile men like the President of the United States. That I, a more independent professional woman in the 20th century United States, was just as vulnerable as an insignificant and humble woman in 19th century Ireland; the only difference being that I had many choices Siobhan did not have, and that many women around the world, still to this day, do not have." 

"Why wouldn't I be upset by you feeling that way? I understand exactly what you're saying. I understand why you empathize with Siobhan." 

"That's not the part I didn't think you'd want to hear. Did you know that women are beaten to death in Qumar if they are raped? That they are not allowed to read a book or go out in public without a father, husband or brother at their side? That women in Saudi Arabia who have the effrontery to bare an inch of skin can be publicly stoned to death and that it is preferable for young women to be burned to death in a flaming building rather than flee without being covered from head to toe? That it is acceptable in many parts of the world to commit genital mutilation – to remove a woman's clitoris and labia because she can't be trusted to control her sexuality and to keep herself pure in her marriage? I can talk about all that until I'm blue in the face – and I have – but I can't change the laws in other countries. I'm a public figure, the First Lady of the United States, one of the most visible women in the world and I have been a victim of violence in my own country. I work in a free clinic where I see the victims of violence and the physical and emotional damage that is done to women and children every single day that I'm there." Abbey's eyes moved from Jed's to gaze out over the bay in the distance. "I haven't done enough to get you to pass the 'Violence Against Women Act'. I let it go when you and the staff said that other things had to come first. I let it go when it was dropped from the State of Union. I can't let it go anymore, Jed. We only have two more years. I can't change the laws of other countries, but I can help to change and strengthen the ones in my own. When we get back to the States, I want to make sure that act gets passed." 

"You know it makes me sick to think of the way women are treated around the globe and even in our own country. It makes me sick every time I've had to make a deal with the devil with those countries. We should have pushed it, Abbey. You were right to call me on it." 

"But other things came up." 

"Yeah." he sighed. 

"Not this time. This time I'm going to throw the full weight of my office behind it. I'm going to focus on getting that act passed and if that means I have to stand up and lend my voice to the crusade and talk about my own experiences then that is exactly what I'll do." 

"If you do that, it's going to mean giving interviews and standing up in front of crowds talking about the fact that you were a victim of rape yourself." 

"Would that embarrass you?" Her voice was barely more than a whisper and filled with more than a little pain. 

Hurt filled Jed's eyes. "Of course not." He reached out to take her hand squeezing it tightly. "I just don't want to see you hurt. I don't want to see you the way that you were when Marcus Hughes came back into our lives two years ago." 

"I won't be hurt, Jed because I won't be a victim anymore. I may have been a victim once; I may have felt like a victim once, but not anymore. I'm a SURVIVOR of rape and I shouldn't be ashamed of that. I spent far too many years being ashamed of that and I can't be anymore. There are too many voiceless women out there who ARE ashamed and hurting and not getting justice. It's time for me to step up to the plate and be their voice. Maybe this is it for me, Jed. We always say that God has a plan for each of us but I never understood what kind of plan for me, his daughter, would include having me brutally violated the way that I was. But, maybe this it. Maybe I'm supposed to use that experience and the pulpit your presidency has given me to make things better for women who are hurt by violence. Maybe that's how I'm supposed to make a difference." 

Jed touched her cheek tenderly eyes filled with compassion and remembered pain and pride. "And what a voice it will be. It's not going to be an easy fight but I'm pretty sure who is going to come out on top. You're like a force of nature when you get that bit between your teeth. I look forward to you shredding a few hides on the matter." 

"You aren't angry that I'm forcing it onto the agenda?" 

"Nah. It should have been there all along. I let Leo and Josh and Toby convince me that it didn't have a chance in hell of passing in the Republican Congress and that we had to pick our battles. And you know what? I'm ready to pick this battle. When you're ready to go, you'll have the full support of the White House behind you." 

"Shouldn't you talk to Leo and the staff first?" 

Jed shook his head negatively. "Leo and the staff will be behind it because I'M behind it. I'm the President. This is my watch. You were right. We only have two and a half years left and I'll be damned if I'm going to spend them sitting on my ass worried about what will or won't pass through the Congress. Our popularity right now is through the roof. If we don't use that popularity, if we just sit around twiddling our thumbs doing nothing to create any waves then what good are we doing? This is not the time to be preserving a legacy, this is the time to CREATE one. It's time to pick some battles and if we lose, we lose. But at least we go out fighting." 

Tears filled Abbey's eyes as she turned to him with a look of supreme tenderness and love. "You sound remarkably like a young man that I knew who ran for Congress and won even though everyone said a young whippersnapper Democrat could not win the seat even if his last name WAS Bartlet. Later that man ran for President and won in spite of the fact that when he started campaigning most of the country had no idea of who he was. You sound like Jed Bartlet again." 

"Do you really think I lost him somewhere when I hit the Oval Office and learned to play the game?" There was a part of Jed that always felt like he was selling a part of his soul when he had to compromise his principles in any way for the greater good. 

"Maybe a little, but never for long, and never in your heart. Your heart was always in the right place, it always is, but you played the game the way that it had to be played and sometimes that just royally sucks." 

"Yeah, it does," he agreed. "But now we're in the home stretch and to hell with the rules of the game. I think it's time to take off the kid gloves and get down to business." 

"I like the way you think," she grinned. "This might actually be fun." 

"You know what? I think it will. I'm ready for a good fight and I think we make a hell of team, Dr. Bartlet." 

"I would concur with you on that, Dr. Bartlet." 

**** 

The short flight on Marine One from the Dingle peninsula to Skibbereen on the southwest coast of County Cork was absolutely breathtaking. The marine helicopter flew low enough for Abbey and Jed to see the gorgeous country below – the lakes of Killarney, the peaks of McGillicuddy's Reeks, glens and river valleys and the sea along the edge of Bantry Bay. They landed just outside the town of Skibbereen and were driven to Shamrock Hill Lodge, the bed and breakfast where they would be staying. Sitting on eighteen private acres high up on a hillside looking out over Lough Hyne and Castle Island, Shamrock Hill was a beautiful two hundred year old converted stone barn with floor to ceiling windows that held panoramic views of both the lake and the Atlantic shoreline. Abbey and Jed were just starting to explore the deck that seemed to miraculously and breathtakingly jut out over the mountainside when they were told the proprietors had arrived. They greeted Paddy and Maggie Doyle just outside the house in a lovely stone courtyard spilling over with the bright cheery fuchsia that graced the island. After being given the lay of the land and placing supper orders, they were left on their own for the afternoon. They quickly changed into swimsuits, shorts and T-shirts, tied on their sneakers and headed out to explore. 

The wooded path that led from the house to the water's edge was steep and partway down it divided in a fork. 

"This must be the way to the holy well," Abbey said. "You want to check it out?" 

"You're the leader...lead the way." 

Abbey set off at her usual brutal pace along the trail, pausing after a little bit when she didn't hear Jed right behind her. She turned back to find him about ten feet behind. 

"Am I going too fast?" Sometimes she forgot that others did not hike as often as she did and weren't as comfortable on the trails. 

"No, you're fine. I'm just enjoying the view." 

"The view?" Abbey frowned and looked around. There was nothing to see save trees and bushes. "There isn't a view." 

"There sure as hell is. Nature's finest view of all." He caught up to her and cupped her rear in his palms. "The sway of a sexy woman's hips and, of course, the tantalizing moves of a world class ass." He gave said ass a quick squeeze and she turned into his arms. 

"Nature's finest, huh?" She lifted a brow. "I thought you felt these were nature's finest." She cupped her breasts and lifted them toward him. 

"Well, indeed they are, sweetheart, and I surely mean them no slight at all. You know just how much Thelma and Louise mean to me." He covered her hands with his own. "I guess I should amend my earlier statement to say nature's finest view of all from the BACK is a woman's, notably MY woman's, world class ass." 

"You're incorrigible," she chuckled. 

"Yes, I am." 

"And insatiable." 

"Yes, I am. And you wouldn't have me any other way." 

"No, I wouldn't. However–" 

"Nope, no howevers–" 

"HOWEVER, a male ass, notably MY male's ass is just as fine a view. So sweetheart, it's you're turn to take the lead and my turn to enjoy the view." She turned him and gave him a slight slap to the rear to urge him on his way. 

It didn't take long for them to come to a clearing that held a mysterious little grotto. A statue of the Virgin Mary sat in the center of a circle of white stones. At the outer edge of the circle near a rollicking creek that led down to the lake was the Holy Well that Maggie and Paddy had told them about. Moss covered rocks lined the well and a hawthorn tree beside it held rosary beads, medals and pieces of fabric. Doing as they had been told, Abbey and Jed both knelt before the well, made the sign of the cross and splashed the cold water against their faces. The well water was supposed to protect those who bathed their eyes with it from having eye ailments. Having more to lose in the eye department than Abbey, Jed left one of his many rosary beads hanging on a tree limb and they turned back to get on the main trail that continued on to the lake. They followed the wood trail a bit longer until, sweaty and breathless, they finally stepped out of the woods into a beautiful secluded little cove with a crescent shaped white beach. Waves gently lapped the sand and a dock protruded into the water. Lough Hyne was a marine lake, an inland saltwater lake that was fed by the ocean at the change of every tide. 

Abbey quickly stripped off her shorts and T-shirt down to a bathing suit that had Jed's eyes bugging out of his head. It was a jade green suit she deceptively called a one-piece because of the thin ribbon of fabric that connected the revealing top to the skimpy bottom. It was just as alluring, if not more so, than any string bikini she had ever worn. The halter neckline plunged deeply into a 'V' all the way below her naval, dividing her full, lush breasts and continuing its path just under her belly button where it tucked itself into her, the provocative little bottoms just thick enough to cover her tantalizing triangle. The sides of her bottoms didn't curve at her hips. Instead, a single layer of string sat on her feminine swells, making her tiny waist look even smaller in contrast. There were no sides nor back to this suit, just the bikini-style bottoms and the two pieces of fabric that ran over her nipples, seductively concealing them to tease prying eyes and to provoke Jed's lustful imagination. 

"Holy mother of GOD," he whistled. 

"You like, Mr. President?" Her voice was pure flirty baby doll as she tossed her hair back over her shoulder posing for him. 

"You need to ask? Good lord, woman, you better never wear that suit on a public beach." 

Abbey moved forward running her fingertips over his chest as she gently kissed him on the lips. "For your eyes only, babe. For your eyes only." 

"Damn straight for my eyes only," he murmured against her lips, "I don't want you giving every man on the beach a hard-on." 

Abbey giggled and pressed gently against the tent that was forming quite nicely in Jed's suit. "You're the only man I want to give a hard-on to." With a soft squeeze to that developing hard-on, she broke away from him. "Last one in owes the other a back massage!" She turned and ran down to the end of the dock to dive into the cold salt water. Jed watched her dive with a frustrated sigh. Sometimes his wife could be TOO unpredictable. Gazing down with dismay at his arousal, his only recourse was to follow her into the cold water and cool his ardor. 

**** 

Back up at the house after their shower and what ended up being mutual back AND body massages that led to a release of any frustration, a relaxed and loose-limbed Jed and Abbey were out on the deck in their bathrobes sitting side by side on a wicker couch sipping glasses of cold Chablis. Abbey lay her head on Jed's shoulder reveling in the quiet and the sense of well being as she gazed out over beautiful view she was afforded of both the lake below them and the ocean to the west. Their trip was almost over and if it weren't for the fact that they would be seeing their children in just a few days, she would be lamenting that fact much more so than she was. It wouldn't be long before the fantasy was over and it was back to reality – to twelve and fourteen hour days and interrupted private time, to duty and service and life in the goldfish bowl. But, there was no point in regretting that now. They still had a few more days of connubial bliss and she was going to enjoy every last one of them. 

After their cocktail hour, they enjoyed a catered dinner of grilled salmon in a dill cream sauce and fresh local vegetables. They ate by romantic candlelight on an elegantly set table out on the deck so they could absorb the beauty of nature that surrounded them. They relaxed for a while after dinner and then dressed warmly with overlays of waterproof windpants and jackets for a moonlit kayak trip out on the lake. It was still warm at the moment, but they had been told that it would get cold out on the water as the midnight hour approached. 

The sun was still high in the sky around eight o'clock when Abbey, Jed and their Secret Service entourage met with Jim Kennedy, the man who was to be their guide out on the lake and ocean. Because they had both kayaked before, they were able to get right out onto the water. The lake was placid between tides and they were easily able to explore the shoreline – looking down into the clear water to see big round pink and purple sea urchins, waving delicate sea anemones, darting little shrimp, undulating seaweed of purple, violet and ochre and even the silvery back of a sea salmon or two. It was so strange for Abbey and Jed to see creatures they associated with the sea in a lake environment. After exploring for a while, they left the shoreline to head toward the middle of the lake and paddled through dozens of nearly transparent bell shaped jellyfish drifting along feeding on plankton. Jim informed them that despite years of research scientists still didn't know why the Lough Hyne sea life was so similar to that of the Mediterranean or why the water was so much warmer in the lake than the icy Atlantic that fed it. They paddled leisurely along the shore of the island that rose in the middle of the lake passing by the ruins of Clohane Castle. 

"Local folklore tells us that King Labhra Loinseach who had large asses ears lived at Clohane Castle," Jim said. "It's a tall tale any Irish child could tell you." 

Abbey grinned. "It's in the book of Irish Tales we bought for our children in Galway." 

Although he couldn't see her because in their two-person kayak she was in the front, Jed could hear the smile in her voice and knew she was reflecting on her favorite name for him, whether in anger, frustration, or even affection. Jackass. 

"Don't get any ideas, Abigail," he grumbled. "My family hails from Kerry not Cork so there is no chance that I descend from a king with donkey ears." 

Abbey's sweet laughter rang out over the lake, leaving Jim Kennedy completely lost at the inside joke. 

They paddled past yet another deserted famine village and then headed toward Barlogue Creek, the narrow tidal channel also referred to as "the rapids" that connected the lake to the sea. At the head of that channel stood the ruins of an 8th century church to St. Brigid which had been used regularly during the penal times as a place where the Catholics could secretly pray and worship. Beside the church was a tall early inscribed Celtic cross and St. Brigid's Well where Jim told them that the saint's knees had left an impression in the rocks. The channel was still fairly calm since they were between tides but as they moved further along they could start to feel the gentle swells of the ocean lifting them and the stronger currents against their paddles. The power of those swells grew stronger as they emerged completely from the lake out into the Atlantic where the water was definitely colder and the wind more brisk. Hundreds of nesting puffins dotted the rock-strewn coastline and every so often a seal would pop its adorable brown shiny head up next to the kayak causing Abbey to reach for her camera. 

Paddling beside the craggy cliffs, lifting and descending on the powerful waves, filled the couple with both fear at the strength of the sea and awe at just being alive to experience something like this. The rocky coast was dotted with sea caves. Jim had them paddle backwards into one such cavern that had been a well known smuggler's cave. It was dark inside the cave and every sound was magnified – crashing waves echoing in thundering booms then sloshing around as the powerful currents churned against the walls. Gothic spears of rocks hung from top of the cave and shadows crossed the sides. In an eerie strange way, it was beautiful. 

They were back out on the open sea by the time the sun began to set sending iridescent swirls in a rainbow of colors across the dusky sky. Jed and Abbey simply sat bobbing in their kayaks taking in the incredible wild beauty of nature in all its splendor. 

"It's like seeing the face of God." 

Abbey smiled tenderly at the reverence in Jed's voice. She couldn't have put it any better herself. 

With the turn of the tide, Jim led them back to the channel and this time they knew why it was called "the rapids". The incoming tide lifted them and shot them through the narrow channel thrusting them back out into the lake with a power that was both exhilarating and terrifying. Adrenaline still pumping, they paddled back over the lake as the midnight hour approached. By now it was dark, the only light coming from the crescent moon and an inky black sky covered with glittering stars. It was only then that the real show began. They were paddling through water heavy with seaweed when suddenly little sparks lit the darkened depths of the lake. Abbey and Jed moved their paddles slowly delighted with the display of phosphorescence. The marine lake was fairly brimming with glowing plankton that turned its surface into a glittering, sparkling blanket of pure magic. At one point, Jed smacked his paddle against the water creating an explosion of liquid fire that was so bright he was able to see the surprise on Abbey's face that was now turned toward him. It was over as quickly as it happened, the luminescence rippling off toward the shore. Together they sat quietly taking in the dazzling display and peaceful beauty of the night, Abbey reaching back to take Jed's hand in hers, the need to share this special moment incredibly strong. A barn owl hooted in the distance, a cow lowed mournfully into the night and a sheep baaed plaintively in return, a fish jumped beside them with a loud splash and in the midst of such a lovely natural chorus, sitting on the black surface of the water at one with the night, the President and First Lady of the United States sat in a kayak marveling at the perfect end to yet another magical night on the Emerald Isle. 


	26. Summer of Us, The

  
Author's notes: I tried to make sure I had the right Irish officials that would have been in office in 2004 but one thing you will notice is that I kept Jean Kennedy Smith as U.S. ambassador to Ireland even though she was actually ambassador while Bill Clinton was President. You'll see why in the next chapter. Also, I attributed Bill's success in brokering a cease fire in Northern Ireland to Jed since in TWW world Clinton did not exist and some of his accomplishments and failures also fell on Jed's shoulders on the show.  


* * *

County Kildare, inland and just west of Dublin was as different as night and day with the rugged West Coast of Ireland where Abbey and Jed had spent most of their second honeymoon. It was flat land without any mountains or rugged coastlines and hardly any livestock either. This was grain-growing farmland with great silos and large farms. Abbey, who thought they were leaving Skibbereen for Dublin was surprised when Marine One touched down in this flat green land. 

"Why are we stopping here?" she asked. 

"I thought it was a place you might want to visit." Jed took her hand and led her around the back of the helicopter to where Abbey could read the big sign stating "Irish National Stud". She grinned with delight taking in the paddocks of horses and the large stables ahead. 

"More horses?" she grinned. "One might start to get the impression that you're coming around." 

"My problem has never been with horses, sweet thing. It's the riding them I could do without. However, after that wonderful massage my posterior received the last time I went riding, it wouldn't take much to persuade me to continue on in the sport." 

"Had I known that's all it took, I could have had you winning Olympic gold instead of a Nobel Prize a long time ago." 

"I don't doubt that at all." Hand in hand, they moved forward to greet John Clarke Ireland's Agricultural Secretary and Annette Boland, The Stud manager who would be giving them a tour of the operation. They were immediately taken over to the paddock area where two stallions were roughhousing in the field. 

"We have privately owned mares who come in and are 'covered' by privately owned stallions," John told them. "Of course, huge sums are paid to bring about a mating with one of the stallions at The Stud and that money is not taxed by the government, however we do take a cut. That cut pays for the entire operation." 

"Who's that little guy over there?" Abbey pointed to pony grazing by himself in his own paddock. 

"That's Tommy the Tease," Annette grinned. "He's the one we put behind the wall near a mare to see if she is in heat. He gets her all hot and bothered, and then they take her away to be covered by the resident stud." 

"That hardly seems fair to the poor little guy," Jed said. "He does all the work with the foreplay and doesn't get to reap the benefits of the act. Sounds like a frustrating and unappealing existence to me." 

Annette laughed at both the sentiment and the roll of the First Lady's eyes at her husband. "Never fear, Mr. President. Tommy does get disappointed at times, so we do bring in a pony mare from time to time so that he can get some satisfaction, otherwise he might lose interest." 

"I can only imagine," Jed agreed. 

"You're lucky you'd have to imagine," Abbey whispered saucily into his ear. Jed's wide grin followed her as they moved on to another paddock where a beautiful sleek blood bay stallion with a jet black mane was tied to the fence. 

"What do you think of him?" John asked. 

"He's gorgeous," Abbey breathed. "May I?" 

John nodded with a look of pride and Abbey began running her hands over the muscular flesh of the horse. "He's a prime stallion, isn't he?" 

"That he is. His name is Finnegan's Wake and what would you say if I told you he was yours." 

"What?" Abbey turned to him with astonishment. 

"We heard from Gerald O'Hara that you would soon be looking for a stallion to cover your mare back in the States because you're wanting another foal out of her. We knew you'd be wanting a horse for cross-country riding and showing not for racing, so we went with Finnegan, here. He's a warmblood, an Irish Draught, best jumping horses in the world." 

"I can believe that." Abbey's hand moved over the horse's withers and powerful hindquarters. He would be a joy to jump. 

"Also, their temperament is perfect for a family horse. They are very easy going, intelligent, people-oriented horses. Very easy to train." 

"That's good, because my Aquinnah has some Arabian in her and can be a bit high strung." 

"Not unlike her owner," Jed's comment got him one of Abbey's famous "don't be a jackass" looks. 

"We wanted to give you a horse that is willing and safe to ride, one that has an easygoing nature and unflappable attitude, and one that is easy to keep, and stays sound longer. On those points, the Irish Draught is unsurpassed. And, Finnegan here has already sired one national champion. He is a gift from the people of Ireland to the beautiful and gracious First Lady of the United States." 

"I don't know what to say." Abbey was still in awe. "Thank you so much. He's a beautiful boy and we'll take great care of him." 

"And because we don't want to leave your adorable children out of the mix," John pointed into the paddock where two white ponies were grazing, "we thought they might like those two Connemaras. We had them driven over from Galway." 

"There goes my feed bill," Jed gave a mock groan. 

"Don't listen to him," Abbey shook her head. "The gifts are greatly appreciated." 

"We know the children already have small Chincoteague ponies, but these Connemaras are only yearlings so by the time they outgrow the Chincoteagues, the Connemaras will be ready to ride." 

"You can never have too many ponies when it comes to having children, anyway," Abbey said. "They always have friends over wanting to ride and it's hard when the kids always have to take turns with having to adjust the stirrups and such. I thank the people of Ireland very, very much and I can assure you that Nicholas and Aislinn will be thanking you as well." 

"Three more horses and a foal to come," Jed was shaking his head as they entered the Horse Museum. 

"You don't fool me," Abbey pinched his elbow gently. "I see your name written all over this." 

"Really?" He was innocence personified. 

"Yes, how else would the Agricultural Secretary of Ireland know that we've talked about when the twins are older and outgrow the Chincoteagues and that we were looking at the Connemaras when we were in Galway? He talked to you asking you if such gifts would be appropriate. And knowing how excited that the children and I would be, you jumped all over it." Her index finger pointed into his chest. "I'm onto you, boyo." 

"You are, are you? Beautiful and brilliant. What a combination." 

"By the way," she sidled up closer to him sliding a hand over his rear. "I'm surprised that you didn't tell him I already have a prime Irish stallion." 

That stopped Jed in his tracks and he bent intimately, his voice deep and silky and filled with promises. "Anytime you want to be covered, darlin', you know I'm up for it." 

"How well I know." She gave him a sexy little wink and led him off into the gift shop. By the time they left, Jed was the new owner of a baseball cap that stated "Irish Stud" and a T-shirt proclaiming "Irish National Stud" courtesy of his wife. He was wearing his baseball cap when he disembarked at the Dublin airport just fifteen minutes later. 

"Irish Stud, huh?" CJ greeted him on the tarmac with a raised eyebrow. 

"Talk to my wife. She bought it for me and if anyone knows it would be her." 

"He's feeling a little full of himself today," Abbey told her. 

"I can see that." CJ smiled at her boss affectionately. He looked wonderful; the second honeymoon had been good for him. The lines of stress and fatigue had faded and been replaced by a nice light tan and blue eyes sparkling with life. The slight worried slump to his shoulders was gone, replaced and in its place the ebullient straight back posture of the man she had known in his first term in office or BTK which is how she and the staff now referred to that time – before the kidnapping – before that moment that had so redefined the President personally and professionally. She had no doubt that spending these two weeks alone with Abbey was what had done it for him. Whenever he was running down, they tried to schedule time for him to be with his wife because she was truly the only one who could recharge his batteries. And, if she was buying him hats that read "Irish Stud", CJ could only surmise that her own batteries had been recharged quite a bit herself. 

The reception that Abbey and Jed received in Dublin surpassed even the rowdy greeting they'd gotten at the airport in Galway. Even though technically this was not a state visit and was still part of the President and First Lady's vacation, there was going to be some politics interspersed in the vacation days and so there was no sneaking into Dublin. "The Stars and Stripes Forever" played while they hugged U.S. ambassador to Ireland and family friend, Jean Kennedy Smith, then shook hands with President Mary McAleese and the other dignitaries. Lord Mayor of Dublin Michael Conaghan symbolically gave them the "Key to the City" along with gifts of Waterford crystal and special plates with their smiling likeness on them commemorating the visit. But, it was when Jed took to the podium after chants of "We want Jed! We want Jed!" that the largest cheer erupted. In fact, he had to wait over five minutes to get the crowd quiet enough for his brief comments. 

"Thank you so much for that warm and rousing welcome. It is both strange and wonderful for Abbey and I to be so many generations removed from this land and yet to feel so welcome and so at home here. We thank you for the privacy you have given us to celebrate this special time in our marriage and we thank you for wanting to share this time with us as well. We've had a wonderful stay in Ireland and we hope you'll have us back some day, maybe next time with our children." 

A huge cheer erupted at that sentiment and continued on until the pretty petite First Lady, on her usual three-inch heels, stepped to the podium and the crowd grew quiet again. With great verge and confidence, Abbey spoke. 

"Go raibh mile maith agat! Siochan leat." Her warm smile enveloped the crowd as another huge cheer erupted with her speaking in the ancient Irish language offering her thanks and a blessing of peace on them all. 

A short planned parade took them through the streets of Dublin. Much to Abbey and Jed's surprise, those streets were lined with streamers and bunting along with hundreds of people holding American and Irish flags and signs reading "Ceid Mile Failte"(a hundred thousand welcomes) "Ireland Loves Jed Bartlet" and "We Love You Abbey!" Huge pictures of the two of them were hanging on the sides of the Georgian stone buildings and shopkeeper's windows were filled with commemorative plates of their visit. They'd had grand receptions abroad before but nothing like this outpouring for what was merely a vacation. 

"This isn't even a state visit. Do you believe this?" 

Abbey could hear the emotion in Jed's voice as he absorbed the hero's welcome and she had to swallow past the lump that swelled in her own throat. These people would never truly know how much their incredibly warm welcome and their show of love for her husband meant to him. 

"You deserve it, babe." She lifted his hand kissing the back of it with a tender smile. 

There was a reception and a luncheon at "Mansion House", home to the Lord Mayor of Dublin that was held in the round room where the first Dail, Ireland's Congress, assembled in 1919 to proclaim the Irish Declaration of Independence. It was obvious to all who were present just how special and moving it was for the President and First Lady to be there in that historical room. After the luncheon, they moved on to the Old Library at Trinity College where Jed would be meeting with a group of students attending Trinity. They were both Catholic and Protestant and originally from Northern Ireland. They had formed a group called "Students for Peace in Northern Ireland" and were now getting to meet the President of the United States who had been so integral in helping to work out that cease-fire and who continued to work for peace in Northern Ireland. Jed wanted to show solidarity with the cease-fire peace treaty and also to get to get their perceptions and ideas about how to keep that tenuous peace in preparations for his talks with British Prime Minister Tony Blair. At the beginning of the meeting, the Protestant students were notably quiet assuming that because Jed Bartlet was a Catholic he would not be open to their point of view. They were wrong and left the meeting gushing to the press about how President Bartlet was a fair and open-minded man and that while his sympathies might be Catholic, he was definitely for moving forward and putting all the old hostilities behind them. 

While Jed met with the students, Abbey met with the mothers of many of those students who had formed a group called "Mothers for Peace in Northern Ireland". They all had taken a bus down from Belfast simply to talk to the First Lady. These were women who had grown up in the Belfast of the late 60's and 70's when the city had literally been a war zone of segregated neighborhoods. They spoke of violence and despair and fear. Many of them had lost several members of their families in the "Troubles" and they were determined, as mothers most often are, that no more of their children or any children would die. Abbey listened not only as the First Lady, but also as a mother, empathizing with their fear that every time their sons or husbands left their homes, they just might not return. It was an awful way to have to live and Abbey assured them that she and the President were behind a permanent peace. As she left the meeting to rejoin with Jed, she was baited by a member of the press trying to get her to admit that her sympathies were tied to the Republic but being the pro that she was, Abbey was not led astray. 

"I did not meet with these women to take sides," she chastised the man. "It's time to move beyond taking sides and work for peace. I understand the fears of all the women of Northern Ireland. I am a mother just as they are. We mothers understand the magic of creating, nurturing, and giving birth to life and abhor the senseless acts of violence that end such a precious gift." 

Arms crossed over his chest, a smile of pride touched Jed's lips. 

"She's good," CJ nodded with admiration. 

"She's very good," Jed agreed. 

With their meetings over, Abbey and Jed were taken over to the long room of the Old Library that held 200,000 of Ireland's oldest books including the very famous _Book of Kells_. They had seen it before on their initial honeymoon but it was something, especially for Jed, worth seeing again. The _Book of Kells_ was a religious manuscript containing the four gospels of Mark, Mathew, Luke and John written in Latin, but it was because of the beautiful Celtic artwork that it was considered one of the most important treasures of Western Europe. The _Book of Kells_ had been started most probably on the isle of Iona somewhere around the 7th century but had been moved to Kells monastery to protect it in the 9th century during the Viking raids. It remained there until 1541 when it was taken by the Roman Catholic Church for protection until 1661, when it was returned to Ireland and given to Trinity College. Even though he had seen it before, Jed stared with awe at the calfskin pages and the glorious artwork illustrating the saints and depicting events in the life of Christ. 

"It's utterly incredible," CJ breathed as they all took in the highly detailed and vibrant colored Celtic shapes and patterns and the animal like creatures that seemed to pop up everywhere. 

"It's estimated that this artwork took a team of illustrator monks thirty years to complete," Jed told her. "The detail is amazing. There is not one symbol duplicated anywhere in the book." 

Not to be outdone by her husband's knowledge, Abbey added her own fact to the conversation. "It was believed for many years that only angels could have written this book." 

"But it was all done by monks?" 

"Yes," Abbey nodded. "You have to remember that when they were making manuscripts in that time period, they were objects of religious veneration. They were seen as consecrated and their creation was an act of religious devotion." 

"The monks who sat for years working on single chapters of the Bible were not reproducing books. They were making the word of God manifest in the world," Jed added. 

CJ shook her head at the couple. They could still amaze her with their range of knowledge, especially when it was outside their "professional" sphere. It had been three decades since either of them had been here yet they could both recite the history of the revered book as if they had just been given a tour. 

**** 

Abbey and Jed barely had time to munch on their delicious little appetizer tray and to explore their penthouse suite on the top floor of the Merrion Hotel before it was time to change for their evening out at the Abbey Theatre. The Merrion was housed in an 18th century Georgian townhouse and had been restored in the 90's to combine luxury with history. Irish fabrics and antiques filled the elegant rooms and each bedroom had a beautiful Italian marble bathroom attached. Abbey stood in one of those bathrooms undertaking the familiar feminine ritual of preparing for a night out on the town. She wore a Christian Dior spaghetti strapped slinky slip dress of ivory raw silk with sexy black lace layered over the bust. The empire waist allowed the dress to merely skim sensuously over her curves falling gracefully to her lovely knees. A pair of Louboutin stiletto slingbacks finished the outfit along with a diamond and black onyx necklace and matching dangling earrings. She was leaning forward over the sink applying a little gloss over her lipstick with a couple of hot curlers still in her hair when Jed entered admiring the way the silk molded over her rear. 

"You about ready?" he asked. 

"Just about." She turned to him. He wore an Armani light gray summer weight suit that she had purchased for him and a pale blue dress shirt underneath. He did not wear a tie and he had left the top two buttons open at his throat at her request. 

"You're looking mighty sexy tonight, Mr. President," She smoothed his lapels with her palms. 

"As are you, Madame First Lady." He tugged at one of her curlers. Abbey's hand flew to her hair. 

"I almost forgot." She tugged at one of the curlers releasing a bouncy strawberry wave and spraying it with what he knew now, after years of listening to her complain about her curly hair, was anti-frizz spray. "Wouldn't that have been a pretty sight." 

"Adorable," he agreed. 

"I was being sarcastic." 

"I wasn't. I think you look cute in curlers." 

"Cute is not exactly the look I'm trying to achieve here." She turned from the mirror and he got the full frontal assault of her sexy dress and the cloud of wavy curls that fell in studied disarray around her shoulders. 

"Well," he cleared his throat. "Cute is about the furthest thing from my mind right about now. You, my dear, are a drop-dead, traffic stopping knockout." 

"I'll take that over 'cute' any day. Thank you, love." She touched her lips briefly against his cheek enjoying the scent of his bay rum aftershave as she brushed by him. His eyes followed her. 

"Just for the record I like 'cute' too." 

She turned to him with a smile. "The record is duly noted." 

**** 

The Abbey Theatre was Ireland's national theater. Founded in 1904 by W.B. Yeats among others as a theater where Irish actors could perform from Irish works, it was celebrating its centennial year with a series of special productions. Renowned as a writer's theatre, the Abbey had contributed to some of the world's greatest theatrical works. 

"After all, everyone in Ireland is a poet or writer, playwright, or singer, or at the very least, a critic," the theater manager told the First Couple with a laugh. 

Since the dawn of Irish civilization, a tradition of song had celebrated life and wept at death. Haunting voices over mountains, valleys and lakes carried with them ancient tales that were to this day treasured. Those were the songs sung by the angelic clear voices of the four women that made up _Celtic Woman_. A fifth woman – a fiddler was also part of the group. As the lights came up on the darkened stage, the First Couple were transported from the here and now to a world rooted deep within the ancient past of Ireland. Into a surreal atmosphere of peace and serenity that culminated with an achingly beautiful dedication to the President of his favorite "Danny Boy" that left both him and Abbey teary-eyed, it was a beautiful evening connecting with the past through song. 

**** 

Back in their penthouse suite at the hotel, Abbey kicked her heels off with relief as she and Jed began undress to change into more comfortable clothes for their After-Theater meal up on the rooftop terrace. Knowing he had to make a phone call before they ate, Jed changed far more quickly than Abbey did. When he left the room, Abbey folded the pretty _Celtic Woman_ T-shirt he'd bought her then began pilfering through her silky negligees looking for just the right one until her eye caught Jed's discarded dress shirt laying on the bed. With a wicked smile, she lifted it inhaling the scent of her man. 

When Jed returned from his call, he found the bedroom empty and quickly made his way up the elegant marble staircase to the French doors that led out to the large rooftop terrace. The scene before him was like something out of a romantic movie. Candles flickered on the elegantly set table and surrounded the cedarwood hot tub while Ella Fitzgerald crooned sensuously over the sound system. Abbey watched him from the shadowy corner. He was barefoot and wore only faded jeans and an untucked casual gray T-shirt. The gel that forced his tawny thick wayward hair into presidential smoothness was long gone and it was shaggy and mussed just the way that she liked it. Her husband was heartbreakingly handsome when decked out for a formal evening, but he was never sexier to her than when he looked like this – when he was just her Jed, boyish and casual, lithe and relaxed and so hot he could still make her mouth water. She stepped out of the shadows from where she had had been observing him and Jed's mouth went dry. She too was barefoot and all she was wearing was the blue dress shirt he had been wearing earlier in the evening. It was unbuttoned all the way to her navel just as it had been in the erotic pictures she'd posed for, for him. She walked toward him hips swaying and a naughty little glint in her eye, his tiny little bombshell. 

"Hot damn, Abigail." He reached a hand out to cup over her cheek. "You expect me to be able to eat when you're dressed like that?" 

She smiled at him and dipped a finger into the whipped cream that topped their blueberry blintzes then sucked it sensuously off the tip. "Nope. I want you to dance with me right here in the middle of the city under the stars." 

Jed took her hand and pulled her toward him her body fitting perfectly against him as it always did. Her cheek lay against his chest and he rested his chin on the top of her head, inhaling the fresh flowery scent of her shampoo while Ella crooned magically on. 

> _Isn't it romantic?  
>  Music in the night, a dream that can be heard.   
> Isn't it romantic?   
> Moving shadows write the oldest magic word.   
> I hear the breezes playing in the trees above   
> While all the world is saying you were meant for love.   
> Isn't it romantic   
> Merely to be young on such a night as this?   
> Isn't it romantic?   
> Every note that's sung is like a lover's kiss.   
> Sweet symbols in the moonlight,   
> Do you mean that I will fall in love perchance?   
> Isn't it romance?_   
>  ( _Isn't It Romantic_ by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart)

It's beautiful up here, isn't it?" Abbey murmured against Jed's chest. They had danced up to the edge of the terrace and the lights of the city flickered off in the distance. Thanks to a box hedge around the rail and the private garden court that blocked any pedestrian view, they had complete and total privacy. 

"You seem a little melancholy tonight. Is something wrong?" 

She turned from him and moved to lean against the rail gazing out into the night. "I guess a part of me is just sad that this is all coming to an end. I mean I'm so excited to see the kids I can hardly stand it and I am anxious to get back to work, but...I'm not looking forward to sharing you with your mistress again." 

Jed stepped up behind her wrapping his arms around her torso and burying his face into the gentle curve of her neck. 

"I'm not going to lie and say that you won't have to share me. But we aren't going to lose this. We aren't going to lose us." 

"Promise me." She leaned back against him, tears burning in her eyes and he nuzzled the delicate skin at her throat, his lips moving against her as he spoke. 

"I promise. God, how I love you." The sentiment made with such heartfelt vehemence caused the tears that had burned in Abbey's eyes to trail down her cheeks. Jed tasted those tears on his lips as they moved along her jaw while his big warm hands caressed her flat belly. "Don't cry, baby. Please don't cry." 

"They're just tears of love." Abbey's last word ended in a sigh as Jed's hand slipped inside her open shirt to cup over her breast, his fingertips teasing her nipple. He smiled against her earlobe. 

"Ahh...You women have tears for anything, don't you? Tears of sorrow, tears of pain, tears of joy, tears of love – and my favorite – tears of passion." He bit down gently on her earlobe just as the thumb and forefinger of one hand squeezed her hardened nipple and the other slipped inside the tiny triangle of lace that covered her sex to delve into the springy curls. Abbey bit down on her bottom lip, her head falling back while he stroked her. Then suddenly he was gone, kneeling behind her to slide her panties down her hips, her thighs, her calves until she was able to step out of them. He followed the trip back up with his lips teasing the back of her knees and thighs with the tip of his tongue. Abbey leaned forward, her fingers gripping tightly to the rail. Below them the piercing siren of a garda squad car wailed into the night, the blue lights flickering surrealistically against the building while a car alarm went off in the distance. But none of that mattered to Abbey, all that mattered was Jed's lips now moving up to nibble over the curve of her rear then flickering tantalizingly along her spine. Her breath was coming faster now – the pulse between her legs quickening with each touch of his tongue. While his lips played along her spine, his thigh nudged her legs apart so his fingers could move between them to slide over the warm slick flesh. He took masculine pride in the clenching of her buttocks and thighs with the electrical surges of pleasure his fingers gave her. He slid first one then two fingers inside of her and she whimpered softly. She rocked against his hand for a few moments whimpering again when he left her. 

Eyes closed, her body crying out for more, she listened to him unzip his jeans to free himself. Knowing instinctively what the hand on her back was asking her to do, she bent over the rail opening herself to him, completely vulnerable to him and trusting him implicitly. She felt him spread her, felt the blunt tip of his penis searching for entrance. The sounds of a city at night surrounded them – a taxi horn blaring, the deep thumping bass of loud music from a car driving by – but Abbey heard them all at a distance, the sound of her own heartbeat far louder in ears. She gripped onto the rail even more tightly giving a sharp gasp as Jed thrust himself deeply and fully within her filling her, stretching her, thrilling her. He'd only just begun to thrust when there was a sharp rap on the French doors. He stopped; penetrated inside her to the hilt, shielding her in case someone stepped out on to the terrace, for from behind, he was completely clothed and what he was doing with Abbey not visible. 

"Do NOT come out here." His words were ground out on a groan of frustration. 

The agent cracked the door an inch. He'd had to obey that demand before. "Sir, Ms. Cregg needs to see you." 

"Now?" Jed growled. 

"Yes." 

"Yeah, okay, tell her to give me five." 

"Yes, sir." 

The door shut and Jed bent over Abbey's back brushing her long silky hair away to inhale the perfume at the back of her neck. He knew she wasn't close to coming and that he didn't have time to get her there. 

"I'm sorry, baby." 

Abbey nodded swallowing her own frustration. "Go ahead and finish." 

"Abbey..." 

"No, it's okay, Jed. You can't go down there like this. Just finish." 

Feeling guilty as hell, Jed gripped her hips in his hands and began to pump himself within her. Abbey didn't say a thing. Leaning on the rail, she gazed out over the lights of the city feeling just naughty enough to make it erotic and exciting. Jed felt her pushing back against him urging him on. The guilt fled as his orgasm began to build. Harder and faster, he pounded into her until with a harsh guttural groan, he came. In spite of her lack of completion, Abbey smiled at her husband's release. 

The hand that covered Abbey's breast felt her rapid heartbeat and her shallow quick breaths and Jed knew she was aching for release. Still inside her, his body still jerking with his climax, he bent forward to kiss her cheek. His voice was husky. 

"I'll take care of you when I get back," he promised. 

She nodded. This was a role she knew only too well. She felt him slip from her body and turned to watch him zip up his pants and run his fingers through his hair. 

"Do I look like I just got laid?" he asked her. 

She took in the sweat dampened T-shirt, the lipstick smeared along his jaw, the fever bright glow to his eyes and nodded; smiling through the sad resignation the summons had brought to her heart, knowing that she was losing a part of him again. "But it's a good look for you." 

He grinned and bent forward to give her an enthusiastic kiss. "I'll be quick, I promise. Do NOT put those back on." He pointed to her panties that lay on the floor. 

"Aye aye, Commander." She gave him a mock salute that earned her a sharp spank to the rear and a sexy wink of promise as he turned to leave the terrace. Her secret smile of feminine anticipation followed his form all the way out the door. 


	27. Summer of Us, The

"You summoned." 

CJ turned around at the irritated sound of the President entering the room and swore under her breath into the phone. Back in D.C., Leo heard the expletive. 

"Coitus interuptus?" he asked. He'd been there before. 

Taking in the President's disheveled appearance, his frustrated demeanor and the lipstick smeared on his jaw, CJ agreed. "Most definitely." 

She continued to stare at him. It was usually Charlie or Leo who had to interrupt the First Couple's bedtime romps and now she wasn't sure of the protocol. Was she supposed to ignore the situation, apologize for what she'd done...? 

"CJ, I'm waiting." 

He was definitely crabby. 

"Oh, uh, yes. It's Leo." She handed him the phone. "There's a situation." 

Jed dealt with the problem quickly and succinctly then hung up. 

"You could have rung my room," he said. 

"Yes, but there's something else I needed to discuss with you. I needed to catch you before you went to sleep." 

"You sure did that." 

"I see that." 

"What?" 

CJ flushed beet red. "I just...I mean...you're obviously still awake, sir." 

"CJ, just hit me with it. I'm still on vacation and I'd like to get back to my wife." 

"The jail." 

"What about it? 

"You can't go tomorrow morning." 

He and Abbey had planned to visit Kilmainheim Gaol first thing in the morning. 

"Why not?" 

"Publicity-wise, the day after you talked about looking forward and burying old hostilities and the day before you leave for a state visit to Great Britain probably isn't the best of days to visit a symbol of British oppression." 

"The jail has been closed for eighty years. It's history." 

Kilmainheim Gaol had housed some of the most famous Nationalists in Ireland's turbulent history – many of whom had been executed there including the leaders of the 1916 Easter Uprising. 

"History is different here and you of all people know that. History here is yesterday." 

Jed sighed. "You're right. We won't go to the jail. We've already been once before anyway. Is that it?" 

"Yes, sir." 

Jed started to leave then turned back. "CJ, unless the world is coming to an end, I don't want to be interrupted again tonight." 

"Yes, sir." 

**** 

Sitting in the hot tub with her eyes closed and her head thrown back and a glass of champagne in her hand, Abbey never heard Jed come back out onto the terrace. He stood for a long moment drinking her in, his love for her pounding fiercely through his veins. He knew this woman inside and out – her hopes, her fears, her dreams, her desires. He knew every inch of her body intimately, knew how to rouse her and to soothe her, however, at times she was still as much a mystery to him as she had been on their first honeymoon, as unpredictable as New England weather and yet at times, so predictable he could finish her sentences for her. This woman, so free with her love, her fierce loyalty, her affection, her body – where would he be if he'd never met her? Meeting Abbey had changed him forever and she was a mystery he would happily spend the rest of his life reading with intrigue and interest. 

"I hope you don't have anything on in there." His voice was deep and sensual. 

Abbey opened her eyes then set her glass down and slowly stood before him the water sluicing down over her gloriously nude form. 

"You're a good woman, Abbey Bartlet. You know how to listen to orders. You'll be rewarded well for that." He stepped toward her closing his mouth over her nipple to suckle at the bead of water that had settled there. Abbey sighed, her retort to that statement lost as his tongue flicked over the hardening peak and her fingers began to thread through his hair. She had ached with frustration, paced a bit with the taut nerves of a need unfulfilled for a little while after he had left, but the sexual tension had finally receded, only to be revived in an instant as his mouth took to her breast. 

"And you're overdressed." 

He pulled back and looked down. "How right you are." 

Quickly, he stripped off his clothing and joined her in the bubbling hot tub. "This is nice," he sighed. "Now where were we?" 

"Right about here." Abbey cupped his face in her palms and drew him to her nipple. He needed no further encouragement. He suckled and nuzzled at her nipples while the jets from the hot tub shot forth sensuous bursts of water against her aroused flesh. When she began to squirm increasingly and her breathing grew heavier, Jed urged her to stand. Puzzled, she did as told. 

"Now, sit on the edge," he said. 

Again, Abbey did as told. Jed took a knee in each hand and spread her legs wide for him revealing all her innermost secrets. He groaned softly, his eyes lighting with excitement and desire. Abbey held her breath in anticipation as he knelt before her, bending forward to place a kiss on the damp pink throbbing flesh. 

"Jed." She sighed then gave a little squeak of surprised pleasure as he parted her and slid is tongue over her clit. 

"Do you remember the first time I did this to you?" he asked. 

Abbey bit her bottom lip as his tongue continued to work its magic against her. "Of course I do. It was here...In Dublin...On our honeymoon." 

"You nearly gave me a concussion when you clamped your knees so hard against my head." 

Her laughter ended in a groan as he slipped a finger inside her. "I was embarrassed. I didn't think you really wanted to do it...Oh, yeah, Jed, oh, that's goooood..." She moaned as another finger was introduced and he began to flick them back and forth inside her. "...I thought you felt you had to do it because you read about it in...that book about...sex." Abbey's head fell back and she was finding it harder and harder to concentrate on the conversation. 

"Now you know differently." 

"Oh yeah." Jed's mouth and fingers were driving her closer and closer to the edge, the coils tightening deeply within her womb and she knew that he loved it, that oral sex was not a chore for him or an obligation anymore than it was when she went down on him. It was a way to bring erotic pleasure and to express love in an act that was at times, in both their opinions, even more intimate than intercourse. 

"And you found out how much YOU like it." 

"Yes, oh God, yes...Oh Jeeeeed." Abbey's eyes closed as she gave herself over to the pleasure that was building to an intensity so strong it took her breath away. 

"That's it, babe. Come for me. I want to feel you come." Jed felt her body tightening, felt the quivers that rippled across her skin and the uncontrollable thrusts of her hips against his mouth and his fingers. He added a third finger at the same time he gently rubbed his teeth against her extremely sensitive swollen clit, and Abbey cried out to the stars, the fingers of one hand gripping and tugging at his thick hair while the other held tightly to the edge of the hot tub to keep from falling back while her body contracted in climax. He stayed with her through the orgasm, soothing and gentling her with soft strokes of his lapping tongue and gentle slides of his fingers until it was completely over and she slid bonelessly into the tub beside him snuggling up under his arm. 

"Good?" he asked. 

"Absolutely divine, hon." She kissed him on the shoulder. "You're the best." 

"We've come a long way from being those awkward inexperienced kids who lost their virginities together, haven't we?" 

Abbey's mind wandered back in time to college. She and Jed had wanted each other right from the very beginning, from the first time their eyes met, and that had been something new to both of them. There had been no games; he wanted to be with her and she wanted to be with him. They'd been exclusive from the get-go and yet they had both been raised strict Catholics and were both old fashioned enough to struggle to hold off on the sexual part of their relationship – and what a struggle it had been. She fast-forwarded in time to their first honeymoon in Ireland. To long all night sex marathons experimenting with positions and touches learning each other's bodies with both hands and mouth and reveling in the joy it brought them to know that this was now something that they could do forever, whenever they wanted. There had been such freedom in that discovery, such wanton excitement as they were finally released from the sexual repression – even if they had succumbed before their wedding. They'd taken such delight in each other's bodies, in each other's responses and they had discovered a passionate connection that had only grown over the years. But even then they could not have known the heights their passion would reach or the comfortable intimacy that would develop as their sex life grew more varied and intense. 

"We learned how to physically love here in this city, Jed. Well, that is once I explained to you that you weren't going to give our baby brain damage by banging around in there." She laughed softly against his shoulder. 

"You're never going to let me live that down, are you?" 

"I'm sorry, I can't. It was one of your most adorable moments ever." She would never forget Jed – all of twenty-one, almost twenty-two, years old and as new to the mysteries of lovemaking and pregnancy as she was – admitting with downcast eyes that he didn't dare unleash his full passion inside of her for fear of hurting their unborn child with his thrusts. He'd felt so foolish when she had explained to him that her doctor had said that the baby was well cushioned in the amniotic sac and that it couldn't be hurt by his penis, but it only made Abbey love him with an even greater intensity. She'd known then, as she had always known, that this was a man who would never do anything to intentionally hurt her or their child. But that didn't stop her from teasing him about it every once in awhile. 

"Let's keep that between you and me, sweetness. I don't think the word 'adorable' should be used in conjunction with the leader of the free world." 

"Too bad." She traced a fingertip over his strong jaw. "'Cause this leader of the free world is irresistibly adorable. By the way, speaking of leaders of the free world, what was so all-fire important you had to leave before my fireworks had a chance to go off." 

Jed briefly explained the situation in Israel and then told her about the jail. 

"Well, that's okay. The jail was actually one of the few places we left our bed long enough to visit." 

"That's what I told CJ." 

"You told CJ that?!" 

"Yes." 

"Jed." 

"I hate to tell you, my little love goddess, but it's a well-known fact among my staff that we have a real hard time keeping our hands off each other. It didn't shock CJ in the least to hear that we spent days in bed forsaking all sustenance and withering away to skin and bones in a desperate attempt to slake our libido driven passion." 

Abbey giggled and shoved against his shoulder. He laughed, "I told her we'd been there before" 

"That's better." 

"But she still knows we can't keep our hands off each other." 

"Well, that's never been much of a secret. You know one of those students in the group you talked to today told me she saw the pictures of us in the paper and that she thinks it's really cool the way you and I are still totally hot for each other." 

"She said that?" 

"Yup, had the American lingo down to a tee," Abbey grinned. "Said that when she gets married she hopes her husband will still look at her the way you look at me when they're on their second honeymoon." 

"Oh, and how do I look at you?" 

Abbey slid a leg over his thighs then drew herself up to straddle him. "Hungrily. Like you want to devour me." She touched her lips to his. "The same way I look at you." 

A tender smile touched Jed's lips and he lifted his hands up to mold his thumbs over her cheekbones. 

"You were great with those students today," she told him. "You were really in your element. Do you think you might want to go back to teaching when we leave the White House?" 

"We aren't leaving for a couple more years, toots." His fingers squeezed her soft buttocks. 

"Jed." 

"I thought I'd be retiring." 

"Nice try," she grinned. "Fifty-five is far too young to retire. Besides you'd go crazy not doing anything all day long." 

"I didn't say I wouldn't do anything. I'll retire and spend all day in bed fucking me beautiful wife." 

"Living on love, huh?" She trailed her fingertips over his wet chest hair. 

"Oh, we can stop to eat once in a while," he assured her. 

She bent to kiss his nipple. "Eating and fucking, that's the plan?" 

"No fucking THEN eating is the plan." 

"Well, as long as you've got it all worked out." She nibbled along his chest. 

"I do, babe, I do." 

"So what about eating some of that meal we have sitting over there." 

"Fucking then eating, Abigail. Remember the rules." 

"We've already fucked," she reminded him. 

"Not nearly enough, babe." He lifted her hips and she gasped with surprise as he settled her on the tumescent erection that had grown while he'd pleasured her and she had teased his chest. "This time we do things together, the way it should be." He pressed his lips against the pulse point at the base of her throat feeling her rapid heartbeat against his tongue. 

Abbey's hands moved over his shoulders and his back exploring him much as she had explored "Finnegan's Wake" earlier in the day. "Ye are a fine Irish stallion, Jed Bartlet." 

"And you, my love," he lifted his head to gaze into her now slumberous aroused eyes, "are a green-eyed witch who's kept me under a spell for three decades." 

"Are you complaining?" She lifted her hips and slid back down on him again tightening her inner muscles on his shaft. 

"God, no," he groaned. "Keep me under your spell forever." 

She wrapped her arms tightly around him burying his face into the soft mounds of her breasts. "I'll do my best, babe. I'll do my best." 

**** 

"This is how you want to spend our free morning?" Jed frowned as he looked at the brochures for the Tethra Spa that was housed in the hotel. They had been finishing breakfast in bed when Abbey sprung that one on him. 

"You have a problem with it?" Abbey glanced over her shoulder as she twisted her long hair up into a clip. 

"Yeah, I do. I can't go to a spa." 

"Why not?" 

"Because." 

"How many times do we tell the children 'because' is not an answer." 

"I'm not a child, Abigail." 

"Then don't answer a question like a child. Why can't you go?" 

"It's not manly." 

"What?" A frown marred her brow as she looked at him. "What did you just say?" 

"Going to a spa is not manly." 

"Since when did you become a homophobe." 

"I am NOT a homophobe. I didn't say anything about gay men going to a spa. I was referring to the fact that a spa is a place for women. A place where you get those manicures and pedicures and goopy face peels and painful bikini wax jobs." 

"Are you afraid I'm going to make you have a bikini wax?" she grinned. 

"I believe you did threaten me with one." 

"Only because you called me a wimp for finding them painful." 

"There you have it." 

Abbey laughed and slipped her hand into the front of his jeans, which he'd yet to zip up, stroking him lightly. "Don't worry, babe. Your balls are safe. Besides," she removed her hand and picked up the brochure "there is far more to a spa than manicures and bikini waxing. I was thinking that it might be beneficial for us both to have a hot stone therapy massage." 

"A what? Sounds like a means of torture." 

"Hardly. I've never had one, but Millie did and she said it was out of this world. Far better than a regular massage. The brochure says they combine water heated lava stones with traditional massage and that each massage stroke with a hot stone is equal to approximately ten regular strokes and leads to a deeper state of relaxation. They also use aromatherapy and hot oils to warm and invigorate the body." 

"You had me up to the aromatherapy. I don't mind you using that jasmine and vanilla almond stuff on me 'cause it leads to the fun stuff, but I don't want some masseuse making me smell all sweet and flowery." 

Abbey bit back her grin. "Okay, fine, we'll make sure you get a nice manly scent like motor oil and sweat and..." 

"Are you finished making fun of me?" 

"I've only just begun." 

He shook his head and she laughed squeezing his shoulder. "Don't worry, no girly-man scents for the Irish Stud. A nice musky sandalwood should do the trick." 

"I don't know." 

"Jed, it will be good for your back and it will be good for my back." 

"Getting off those spiked heel shoes of yours like Admiral Hackett suggested would be good for your back." 

Abbey glared at him. After carrying the twins, she had had some problems with alignment issues in her lower back which Admiral Hackett had suggested was exacerbated by her use of high heels. Something he unfortunately told her in Jed's presence. 

"Well, that isn't happening any day soon so get over it, boyo." 

"Why is it that you can complain about things I do that compromise my health like smoking, but I can't complain about the things that you do?" 

"Sucks, doesn't it?" She kissed his cheek and headed for the door. As her hand closed over the knob she turned glancing back over her shoulder. "You coming?" 

"Yeah, yeah..." 

**** 

"You've often said that one of the keys to having a successful marriage is to be able to strike a balance." The TV news anchor looked at Abbey. "That can't be easy, especially now. You are the wife of the President of the United States and a mother of three grown daughters and two young toddlers. You're a doctor and you work in an inner city free clinic, and you are also the First Lady of the United States – a gracious hostess and a strong woman with your own agenda. Sounds like a lot of juggling." 

A very relaxed Jed and Abbey, thanks to their morning hot stone massage, were seated in a room at the Dublin Writer's Museum being interviewed for a local news program that was to focus on the reason for their visit to Ireland rather than politics. They'd already covered the romance of the renewal ceremony and were now moving on into the marriage. 

"It is, it really is," Abbey admitted. "I just have to prioritize things. My first priorities have always been to my husband and my children – family has to come to first or you are nowhere. Then, of course, being First Lady has been a great honor and privilege and I am exceedingly grateful that I have been allowed to continue to do what I am trained for – to be able to practice medicine in some capacity." 

"But you weren't able to continue on being a surgeon which is your actual profession?" 

"No, that really would have been impossible in my situation." 

"Do you ever regret the sacrifices that you've had to make?" 

"No. And I'd like to be really clear on this issue. It all comes back to balance you were talking about, not only in your life, but also in your marriage. There were many times, especially when I was in training to become a doctor, that Jed had to make sacrifices for me and for our family. However, marriage is not about 'owing' things to each other. The sacrifices that we've made, we've made freely and out of love and respect and admiration for each other. Yes, I miss being a surgeon. I wish that I could have continued on in that capacity while being First Lady, but I recognized and still recognize that it was and is impossible. But you know when one door closes another opens. It's been an amazing experience being First Lady. I've gotten to meet some incredible people and to work on some extremely worthwhile causes that I hope will make a difference in the lives of my fellow citizens. I've also learned so much working at the free clinic and I've really valued my time there. I think it's so important throughout your life to continue to learn and to grow." 

"Do you feel the same, sir?" 

"Absolutely. I hope I continue to challenge myself and to learn and grow as a husband, a father and a human being until the day I die. I can't imagine not being interested or engaged in the world that we live in. It's quite a fascinating place." 

"You've had to do some balancing yourself, haven't you?" 

"Absolutely. It's so important to be able to strike a balance in your life. Of course there are times when one part of your life is going to be heavier than the others and that's okay. But if you let it stay that way, if you don't give the other areas equal weight, well, that's when you run into trouble. Abbey and I both try very hard to remain balanced. It was one of the things that we promised each other when I got elected – that we would not allow our marriage to be consumed by such an awesome institution, and that's what this trip to Ireland has been for us – a way of balancing our professional and personal lives." 

"You've been through an incredibly difficult year. The anniversary of the kidnapping of you, Mrs. Bartlet, and two of your daughters is right around the corner. Do you feel that coming through something like this has changed your marriage?" 

"Fundamentally changed? No." Abbey took Jed's hand. "But of course there have been some changes. There always is when you come through the fire so to speak. We've always had an extremely strong marriage but going through something like this helped to show both of us just how strong it really is and I think that we communicate now better than we ever have, and we weren't exactly slouches in that department to begin with. We've always tried to find some time to unwind together at the end of the day and we drive our respective staff nuts with our many phone calls throughout the day when we're apart." 

Jed grinned at her in agreement. "I once told a friend of mine that a marriage needs attention, that it cannot run on autopilot and I believe that wholeheartedly. Abbey and I have never let our marriage run on autopilot. We work very hard at keeping the lines of communication open and to take the time for each other. We may not always succeed as well as we'd like, but we do try." 

"The two of you have been together since you met at University, barely out of your teens and yet in watching you both it is very easy to see that the love and affection you have for each other is still very real and very fresh and that you share a very special bond of romantic closeness. How have you been able to keep that spark alive over the years?" 

"Well, it helps when you stay extremely attracted to each other the way that Jed and I have and I don't just mean physically but intellectually, spiritually and emotionally. We also try to continue to look at ourselves as a couple, not just parents. We've always tried to keep the romance alive, to take little getaways so we can reconnect one on one away from all the background stuff and we love having 'date nights' even if it's just a movie in the White House theater. We still enjoy each other's company more than anyone else's." 

"It also helps when you have shared values and when you view yourselves as a partnership. Abbey and I have always believed that we are in this together. I also believe that having a happy marriage comes from being happy in your own life. I think we've both learned that while a partner can contribute to a spouse's happiness they cannot 'make' the other happy. The fact that Abbey and I have had very rewarding careers that fulfill us and that we've been able to bring that happiness and fulfillment back into our marriage has only made us stronger. We also both take our vows very seriously; they weren't just words spoken before a priest and our family and friends then forgotten. We try to live up the vows and the promises we made to each other." 

"You're faith is very important to both you and Mrs. Bartlet, is it not?" 

"Yes, it is. We have been tested in many ways, most recently with the kidnapping and I've learned that I should never take my wife or my children for granted. I thank God for every day that I have with them and I thank Him for sparing Abbey and Zoey and Aislinn's lives and for giving them back to me." 

Abbey's loving gaze turned to Jed. "We've both experienced how fragile life can be, how easily everything can be taken away from you – he with the kidnapping and me when he was shot during his first year in office. I think it's really important for everyone out there watching this program to remember that each day is a gift and nothing is guaranteed. I'm not saying to live in fear or anything, quite the contrary. I'm just saying live life to its fullest. Don't let pettiness get in the way of your true feelings and make sure that the people you love know that you love them. Don't just assume that they do. Use the words. It doesn't take anytime at all to send your loved ones off with a quick 'I love you'." 

"Speaking of sending your loved ones off, is it hard for you, ma'am, after what you went through, to let your children out of your sight?" 

"It's been hard from the moment Jed won the nomination and we sat down with the Secret Service and leaned the enormity of our protection detail. No one can prepare you for that conversation. We've always worried about the safety of our children, but yes, especially now. Our twins start pre-school in a couple weeks and that's going to be really difficult in so many ways. But, the Secret Service knows what they are doing and I have to trust them when they tell me my children will be safe. But, as parents, yes of course we worry." 

"In the video done for the Democratic National Convention, all three of your elder daughters spoke of being raised by the two of you to have a social conscience and to give back to society. Elizabeth spoke of filling the family station wagon with Christmas gifts from 'Operation Santa' and delivering them with both of you to the needy. Ellie – of the time your whole family spent in Guatemala where you, Mrs. Bartlet, donated almost two months of your time and skills over the summer to help the victims of an earthquake, and Zoey – of the two Saturday nights a month she spent with you, President Bartlet, doling out food in a Manchester soup kitchen. Much of this occurred before you were even involved in national politics so it is obviously a belief you both hold strongly in your hearts." 

"Absolutely," Jed said firmly. "It has nothing to do with politics. It has to do with being a human being and helping our fellow human beings. Abbey and I were both lucky enough to be raised in families where money was not an issue. We never went hungry; we never had to worry about whether we would have winter boots or new clothes for school or if we would be able to go to college. But, we were both very aware that that wasn't the case for many people. We grew up in an era of 'Ask not what your country can do for you.' An era of John and Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King and in a faith that prides itself on working to help the underprivileged. I had wonderful mentors in Father Thomas Cavanaugh in New Hampshire and my uncle Father Francis Flynn at Notre Dame who instilled in me the desire to help others and challenged me to use my abilities and the blessings I'd been given to do so. I've always felt very strongly that it is my duty as a Christian, not as a politician, to help those in need." 

"And you, Mrs. Bartlet?" 

"For me, it was my family. My grandfather was an old country doctor in Vermont and I can still remember him taking payments in chickens and preserves as late as the 50's and 60's. My own father was a doctor as well and he often took care of patients he knew didn't have the money to pay him. My mother was a stay at home mom but she was always active in various charities. She was very involved in the Society of St. Vincent De Paul and my sister, my brother and I were always helping with clothes drives and food drives and fundraisers for homeless shelters. Both Jed and I felt it was very important to pass that tradition on to our own children and we will continue to do so with Aislinn and Nicholas." 

"Your relationship has caused much interest all over the world: rumors, speculation as to where your twins were conceived; paparazzi photos released to the press; private pictures downloaded on the internet. Have you been surprised at the frenzy of interest and have you grown used to it?" 

"I think we've both been surprised. I mean we were hardly newlyweds when Jed was elected. Of course we knew people would be interested in finding out who we are as people and as a couple because of the roles that we would be assuming, but I don't think either of us could have imagined it becoming quite so explosive. I'm not sure it's something you ever grow used to and in the beginning it was rather shocking, but I think we've both learned to take it in stride." 

"As long as they focus on us and leave our children alone, it's okay," Jed warned. "We work very, very hard to protect the kids and shield them from that kind of scrutiny because they deserve the right to their privacy. But, Abbey and I do understand that we are public figures and that this kind of scrutiny is part of being a public figure in today's society." 

"Well, I, for one, think it's great that at least people are focusing on a monogamous long term marriage as opposed to short term celebrity unions and break ups. I think you've shown the world that marriage doesn't have to get boring or stale and that you are inspirational role models, especially to young couples just starting out." 

"Thank you, Eileen." Jed lifted Abbey's hand onto his thigh. "I think we both view marriage as an adventure and I think we were both blessed to find the one person we would enjoy taking a lifetime adventure with." 

Now, you know I do have to ask you," the woman's smile grew a little naughty, "about a certain rumor here in Ireland...something about a broken bed in Galway. True?" 

The First Couple exchanged amused glances then turned to Eileen stating together, "No comment," in a way that left no doubt to the world that it had happened just as reported. 

"Well, I know that you have a big evening planned at the Embassy, so I'd like to take this time to thank you both for coming on the show and for being so open and candid about your marriage. I, along with the people of Ireland, wish you both only the best." 

"Thank you." Both Jed and Abbey bent forward to shake the woman's hand and behind the camera CJ gave a sigh of relief. She was always a nervous wreck when Jed and Abbey did live interviews, not because she didn't trust them but because you just never knew with live television what might come at you. This afternoon's interview had been exceptional. The First Couple had come off just as they actually were – a smart, attractive, affectionate couple who were still completely smitten with each other. She'd had to smile at the way they touched each other while they talked. It was completely unconscious and was simply the way that they were with each other – a hand gently resting on an arm or a knee or hands clasped tightly together. She was sure she was not the only one to notice that while they held hands, the President's thumb continually caressed the top of the First Lady's hand. 

"Well, CJ, how did we do?" Jed asked. 

"You made ME want to go out and get married." 

"Well, let's go change into our fancy duds, woman. We have a big night ahead and maybe we'll find a man to put a ring on your finger. I believe a certain red haired reporter is part of the press contingent." 

CJ rolled her eyes. "Now I have BOTH of you pimping for me?" 

Jed gave her a stern look. "Danny Concannon is a fine man." 

"I know he is. But it's never going to happen for us." 

"Never say never, CJ," Abbey wagged a finger toward her then took the President's hand and re-entered the Writer's Museum on their way back to the hotel to change for a glittering dinner party thrown by Jean Kennedy Smith at the American Embassy. 


	28. Summer of Us, The

  
Author's notes: It's always kind of bugged me that Martin loves golf with such a passion but that Aaron had Jed disliking the sport. So, since it was Ireland I decided to reintroduce the sport into his life at a time where he has a new perspective on things.  


* * *

The elegant embassy dinner party was a huge success. A veritable who's who in Irish politics, music and celebrity were present, including quite a few Irish Americans like Ambassador Kennedy Smith's sister-in-law, Ethel Kennedy who was visiting her daughter Courtney and son-in-law Paul Hill of _In the Name of the Father_ fame. There had been music played by _The Chieftains_ while they dined, poetry read by Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney, a rousing set from _U2_ after dinner and a special performance by Michael Flaherty of _Lord of the Dance_ fame, after which everyone began to mingle. 

"So, what's this I hear about you going golfing tomorrow?" Abbey sidled up to her husband. 

Jed's look turned sheepish. "When Ethel Kennedy asks you to golf with her, you don't turn her down." 

Abbey smiled; she knew how much Jed would enjoy just spending time with the widow of one of his heroes. Eighteen holes of golf were a small price to pay to spend a morning talking about Robert Francis Kennedy. "She does know you don't golf?" 

"I think that will be pretty evident on the first tee, but yes, she does know I don't golf." 

"Well, I wish you good luck, my love." She turned to swipe a glass of champagne off the tray of a traveling waiter. 

"Right back at you, babe." 

Abbey's gazed leveled back on her husband. "What did you say?" 

"I said right back at you. Ethel asked if you'd come with us and I kind of told her that you'd love to." 

"Jed, I mini golf. I don't golf-golf." 

"Abbey, neither do I. But..." 

"When Ethel Kennedy asks you to golf with her, you don't turn her down." 

"Precisely." 

"Mr. President, Mrs. Bartlet?" The two turned at Jean Kennedy Smith's voice. "Have you met Father Andrew Greeley?" 

"No, we haven't." Abbey reached out a hand. "But both Jed and I are big fans of yours. I just love Blackie Ryan. He's my favorite." 

"Thank you, Ma'am, and I'm sure that he would charmed by you as well." 

Jed bit back a grin as Father Greeley's eyes took in his wife's bosom. Celibate did not mean dead and Father Blackie, written by Father Greeley, always enjoyed a pretty set of boobs. 

"Nuala McGrail is my favorite," Jed told him. 

"As well she might be for any man." His eyes moved back to the enchanting First Lady and knew exactly why the President liked Nuala. "I watched your television interview today and I'd like to extend my congratulations for three decades of an amazing love story. You really are an inspiration to married couples and I hope that people were listening to the things you said about marriage." 

"Thank you, Father." Abbey bent forward conspiratorially. "Now tell me, are you here in Ireland researching another book?" 

"I just might be, but it's a secret." 

"That's okay, I'm the absolute soul of discretion. So is it Blackie or Nuala?" 

Jed laughed knowing the man was a goner. If anyone could flirt a priest out of his secret, it would be Abbey. 

**** 

"Your wife is really something, you know." Father Greeley, who had decided to finish out the golfing foursome at Ethel Kennedy's request, leaned back against the golf cart where Jed was watching his wife wiggle her enticing rear encased in slim fitting aqua and pink Capri pants as she prepared to hit her ball. 

"She does it on purpose you know," he said, loud enough for Abbey to hear. "She's trying to throw me off my game." 

Greeley glanced down at the scorecard. "It appears to be working." 

Jed turned on him with steely gaze but a grin broke out over his face as Abbey redoubled her efforts giving an even bigger swing of her hips. "You're a competitive little wench, Abigail Bartlet," he called out to her. 

"Said the pot to the kettle." Abbey swung her club hard. 

"Nice shot, Abbey." As her partner, Father Greeley accepted Abbey's high five as she sashayed past him with a smug look at Jed that earned her a swat on the rear. 

"Don't let her rattle you," Ethel warned him. "You're actually doing very well for a rookie now that we've gotten rid of your slice. Really, you're a bit of a natural. You're sure you've never played before?" 

"I used to play when I was a teenager but I never kept it up." 

Abbey held her breath hoping that Ethel wouldn't push to find out why. Thankfully she didn't. 

"You should take it up again," she said. "Like I said you have some natural talent and it really is a great stress reliever. 

Jed's gaze met Abbey's and Father Greeley grinned knowing that Jed Bartlet had another more interesting means of stress relief. 

Abbey and Jed were together scanning the sandhills that lay on either side of the fairway for Jed's wayward ball. The sea was spread out before them for The Royal Dublin Golf Club lay on the south side of the Bull Island Nature Reserve, which was an island in Dublin Bay. 

"Damn slice," Jed muttered. "I thought I'd gotten that out of my swing." In his navy blue Dockers and yellow and navy golf shirt, his hair windblown and blue eyes seemingly brighter in his tanned face, Jed looked younger and more relaxed than Abbey had seen him in ages. A great tenderness for him squeezed at her heart knowing just how good this vacation had been for him and that it was almost over. 

"You having fun?" she asked resting her hand on the small of his back. Only Abbey knew the connotations golf had for him and how the game was wrapped up in the complicated relationship he'd had with his father. 

"You know," he turned to her, "surprisingly enough, I actually am having a good time. I've been an idiot to allow old prejudices to cloud my enjoyment." 

Abbey smiled. Jed was definitely making progress in dealing with the demons of his past. He'd loved golf as a teenager; it was his father who had turned him off the game. 

"I might actually decide to play a little more often. As Ethel said, I have a bit of knack." 

"Well, don't get too enthused about it. I'm not looking to become a golf widow." 

"I wouldn't worry about it," he cast her a sly look. "Well, as long as I have other means of relieving my stress, of course." 

"Blackmail? Are you resorting to blackmail?" 

"Whatever works, toots." 

"I hardly think you should be having any complaints in that department." 

"Just hedging my bets, darlin' mine. Just hedging my bets." 

**** 

"I'm going to see my mommy, I'm going to see my daddy, I'm going to see my mommy, I'm going to see my daddy." 

"Aislinn." Elizabeth stopped packing for the moment to look at her little sister twirling around in circles chanting in the sing-song voice she'd been using all morning, "You're going to get dizzy and fall down." 

Before Elizabeth had even finished speaking, a staggering Aislinn had done just as predicted, falling on her rear into the laundry basket with a paroxysm of giggles. Elizabeth smiled indulgently, shaking her head. The twins had been up early and underfoot all morning making the packing for them even more difficult. But, she couldn't blame them, after two weeks of twice daily phone calls, they were finally going to see their mother and father again and their excitement could not be contained. 

"Lizabeth, why can't Gussie come with me and Aislinn to Dunden?" 

Elizabeth squatted before her little brother and her son, watching as the two packed up Nicky's Matchbox cars as she had requested. "It's London, and Gus can't go because children live with their mommies and daddies, right?" 

"Right. Me 'n Azlin live wif my mommy and daddy at the White House. We's juss on bacation with you here at the beach." 

"That's right, because your mommy and daddy are not Gus' mommy and daddy." 

"So." 

"So, Gus doesn't live with you at the White House, right?" 

"He can if he wants," Aislinn chimed in. They were after all the three musketeers. 

"No, honey, he can't." 

"How come?" 

"Because I'm his mommy and I'd miss him too much, just like Mom and Dad are missing you and Nicky. But, you know what? It won't be all that long until you see each other again. We're always going to see each other because we're family, right?" 

"You's my sister," Nicky nodded. 

"That's right and I'll always be your sister, so we'll always see each other and since I come as a package deal with Annie and Gus, you'll always see them too." 

"Foreber?" Aislinn asked. 

"Forever," Elizabeth agreed. "Now why don't you all run down and see if Izzy is here yet so I can finish packing. You have a very big week ahead of you. You're going to meet the Queen of England." 

"Is she pretty?" Aislinn's concept of royalty came from Disney movies. 

"She's old," Elizabeth admitted. 

"My mommy is pretty." 

"Yes, she is." 

"And you're pretty, 'Lizabeth." 

"Well, thank you, Miss Aislinn. I think you're pretty too. Now scoot and let me finish packing. I need to make sure that I don't forget anything." 

**** 

"Abbey, honey, just watching you is exhausting me." 

"Hunh," Abbey stopped pacing for a moment and turned a distracted look Jed's way. He noticed that her fingers did not stop worrying her wedding and engagement rings, twisting them around just as she always did when she was anxious or worried. 

"I said that just watching you is exhausting me. You must have walked a couple of miles by now. You're wearing a hole in the carpet." 

"I can't help it. What time is it?" 

"Five minutes since the last time you asked." 

"Jed." Her tone brooked no nonsense. Another trait that Abbey had when nervous or anxious was losing her sense of humor. 

"Okay, okay." His own tone let her know that he was humoring her. "It's 2:03 to be exact." 

Abbey nodded and continued to pace. "Abbey, they said the flight was delayed 15 minutes. We still have another couple of minutes to go. They're okay." 

"Oh, I know they're okay. I'm just so excited I can't sit still. I can't wait to see them, Jed. I know it's only been two weeks but it feels like so much longer." 

He nodded. His gaze moving down to the two stuffed Fungi dolphins he held in his arms to give to his children when they landed. He was pretty excited himself. He and Abbey had landed without fanfare and had been brought inside to a private VIP area to await their children's flight from the States. The plan was to spend a quiet night at Chequers, the country retreat of the Prime Minister, to spend some relaxing informal time with the children before heading on to the state visit in London. 

"There it is, Jed. There it is." Abbey pointed eagerly to the British Airways flight that was descending upon the runway. Her fidgeting fingers reached out for Jed, a broad smile lighting her face as she squeezed his hand with excitement. "Let's go." 

Accompanied by Secret Service and Scotland Yard, Abbey and Jed left the VIP lounge and made their way down to the tarmac. The children of the President, the only residents in first class, would be released first with their nanny before the plane taxied to its gate to allow the other passengers to depart. 

Ignoring the large press contingent on hand to photograph this special moment, Abbey and Jed stood with hands clasped tightly as the big noisy jet came to a stop. Only Jed could feel Abbey's feet and legs wiggling impatiently; she was like a filly at the gate of the Kentucky Derby ready to leap when the starter's gun went off. He chuckled to himself at the reference. The last person to refer to her as a high strung filly got a beer dumped down his chest. 

"What are you laughing about?" she asked. 

"Nothing. I was just–" 

"MOMMY! DADDY! MOMMY! DADDY!" The childish gleeful shrieks of their names spun them both around. Without a thought to cameras or decorum, Abbey took off across the tarmac racing toward her children, which was not a mean feat in her stilettos. Nicholas and Aislinn were running toward her just as fast as their little legs would take them and Abbey fell to her knees with her arms wide open. They hit her with the force of a linebacker nearly knocking her over with their enthusiasm. 

"Oh, my babies, my babies, my beautiful babies." She was kissing lips and noses and cheeks and foreheads and ears and hair, whatever precious part of her children her own lips could find. She inhaled their childish scent deeply, unaware of the tears that had begun to trail down her cheeks. Grinning ear to ear, his own eyes shiny, Jed's hand rested on his wife's shoulder, watching the reunion with a powerful, swelling surge of love. 

"Mommy." Nicholas squirmed loose. "We're not babies." 

"Oh yes you are." Abbey pulled him back tightly against her breasts. "You're MY babies, my beautiful, beautiful babies and I missed you SO MUCH." 

"Mommy." Aislinn frowned reaching out a finger to touch her mother's cheek. "Why is you crying? You sad?" 

"No, no I'm not sad at all. I'm just so happy to see both of you that it makes me cry." Now both children were frowning. They didn't quite understand how that worked. They only cried when they were sad or hurt, but as Abbey's crushing embrace loosened, they were able to see their father and another delighted shout of glee filled the air as they threw themselves at his legs. Jed handed the stuffed animals to Abbey and hoisted both children up into his arms, one on each hip. He immediately began blowing raspberry kisses into their necks that caused them to giggle uproariously and push at his face. 

"You misted us too, Daddy?" Aislinn asked, for her father was not crying like her mother had. 

"You bet your little bippie I did, sunshine." Jed reached out a finger to tweak one of his daughter's glorious flaxen curls. "I missed you ...and you." He turned to Nicholas kissing his son's forehead. "More than you will ever know." 

"Is those for us?" Aislinn began squirming in Jed's arms as she saw the stuffed dolphins her mother held. 

"They are," Abbey nodded. "Daddy bought them for you at a boat race that we went to. His name is Fungi and later in the day we got to swim in the ocean with him." 

"You swimmed with a dolphin?" Aislinn looked at her mother with awe as she was transferred into Abbey's arms. 

"I sure did." Abbey nuzzled into her daughter's neck unsure if she would ever be able to get enough of her. 

"Hey, Izzy, did you have a good flight?" Jed's attention turned to his children's nanny as she approached after having hung back to allow the family reunion. She was smiling as she took in the First Couple each with a child on their hip, each child clutching a stuffed toy to their chest while photographers fought and pushed in an orgy of picture taking. 

"We did. The children were very good. They were up so early this morning and were so excited, they slept for most of the flight. Did you have a nice vacation?" 

Jed turned to Abbey, a loving intimate smile touching his lips as he reached for her hand. "We did, Izzy. We had a wonderful vacation." 

Abbey nodded in agreement. "But we sure are glad to have these two little hooligans back with us." 

"Mama, you squishing me," Aislinn protested. 

"Get used to it, kiddo. I'm going to be squishing you for a long, long time." 


	29. Summer of Us, The

"Then 'Lizabeth said Gus couldn't come with us cause you're not his mommy and daddy." 

"And kids gots to live with their mommies and daddies. But I wish Gus could come and live with us." 

"But that would make 'Lizabeth too sad 'cause she's his mommy. You're our mommy. Would you be too sad if me 'n Azlin went to live with Gus?" 

"What? Me? You're going to let me talk?" Abbey's hand moved to her chest in mock surprise. The twins had been jabbering on from the moment they'd all gotten into limo not allowing Abbey or Jed to get a word in edgewise. 

"You talk, Mama." Aislinn prodded at her arm. Jed's twinkling eyes met Abbey's at the serious look on their daughter's face. The sarcasm had gone right over her head. 

"Well then, yes, I'd miss you far, far, far too much to let you go and live with Gus." 

"We won't go live with Gus, Mommy," Nicky told her with solemn big blue eyes. "We wants to live with you and Daddy." 

"Well, that's a relief." Jed wiped imaginary sweat from his brow. "You had us worried there." 

"What's worried?" 

"Worried means we were afraid you might really be thinking about living with Gus and not us." 

"Don't be 'fraid, Daddy." Aislinn laid her head against his shoulder. "We gonna live with you foreber." 

"Forever?" His tone was wistful; forever had seemed like such a long time when Elizabeth, Ellie and Zoey were younger. It was only now that he realized just how short forever really was. "You promise, sunshine?" He bent to kiss the top of her head. 

"Promise." A dimpled smile tugged at Jed's heartstrings just as Nicky started in showing them all the scrapes and bumps he had accumulated while they'd been apart. 

"How on earth did you do that?" Abbey frowned at the healing scar at the base of her son's skull where Nicky was parting his hair. 

"I was climbing on the fence." 

"I telled him to get down 'cause 'Lizabeth said we not supposed to climb the fence." Aislinn wanted to make sure that her parents knew she had tried to prevent the accident. 

"Then Zoey yelled 'Nicky Bartlet, you GET DOWN.'" Nicholas did a fair imitation of his elder sister. "And I falled down and hit my head on Azlinn's dolly carriage." 

"He breaked it." Aislinn flashed her brother a dirty look clearly letting him know that all was not yet forgiven on that front. "Zoey said he's 'corrige...corrige...corrige'," Aislinn frowned trying to think of the big word her exasperated sister had used. 

"Incorrigible?" Abbey supplied. 

Nicholas nodded. "What's that?" he asked. 

Abbey smiled at her guileless son with deep maternal affection. "It's you, Nicky B. It's you." 

**** 

Chequers, the country retreat of the Prime Minister of England, was about as different from its rural American counterpart, Camp David, as night and day. There was nothing rustic or casual about the 16th century English Manor house; however, in keeping with the Bartlets' wishes for a low-key arrival and some "down time" with their children, the greeting by the Prime Minister and his wife was casual. Abbey and Jed were given a tour and a brief history of the home. Lady Mary Grey, the younger sister of Lady Jane and great grand-daughter of Henry VII, who had married without her family's consent had been confined by Queen Elizabeth I at the manor house to ensure that there were "no little bastards" and to prevent a challenge to the throne. Later during World War I, it had been used as a hospital and convalescent home. Right after the war, it was given to the country as a residence for new 20th century Prime Ministers who were not necessarily of the landed classes and who did not have country home retreats. 

After a quick tea to tide the family over after their flights, Abbey and Jed retired to their rooms with the children to change into shorts and T-shirts. Once they were more comfortably attired, they joined the Blairs out of doors. 

Abbey sat with Cherie at a little table set out on the patio sipping iced tea and talking about upcoming events they would be attending over the next few days. Her eyes, however, were drawn to Jed and Tony playing with the three children. Tony and Leo were trying to explain the rules of cricket which Jed, Aislinn and Nicholas were all obviously struggling with. Even though they'd lived in London for three years, Jed had never understood the sport their neighbors were so wild about and while he'd played pick up soccer with some of the guys at school, he'd often mope about Saturday afternoons knowing he was missing seeing Notre Dame play. When in Rome...was not always the case. But to give them credit, the American trio was giving the game a valiant effort. Abbey had to chuckle when it was Nicky's turn to bat and he bent his knees and lifted the strange looking cricket back high up on his shoulder in the baseball stance Jed had taught him with his plastic baseball bat back home. Laughing Tony stepped up behind him to show the youngster the proper cricket stance in which the bat was held much lower. Always conscious of history and what special moments like these would mean to her children and the memories they would carry with them from the White House, Abbey snapped a picture with the digital camera that had gotten so much use in Ireland. Not many children would be able to say that the Prime Minister of England had taught them how to play cricket. 

After they had played for a while and taken a walk around the grounds, in keeping with the informal theme of the visit, the Bartlets were given a traditional American barbecue complete with hamburgers and hot dogs, which the two families ate outside. After some initial shyness, the three children, who had spent time together the previous year at the White House, were getting along famously babbling away and giggling with the silliness of the very young. 

For Tony and Cherie, this visit with the Bartlets was far different from their last one. While they had met frequently with the American First Couple over the years, their state visit to Washington last fall had fallen on the day that Abbey had returned from her self imposed exile to New Hampshire and it was quite apparent that all was not well with the couple. Whereas in the past there had been ease and affection and laughter, last fall there had been a marked strain between them and while they had tried to put on a good face, anyone who knew the couple at all could see just how ill at ease they were with each other and that the marriage was still suffering from the effects of the kidnapping. That was not the case now at all. They were back to being the Jed and Abbey Bartlet they knew so well, treating each other with a teasing, playful affection and looking upon one another with loving eyes that could not be faked. 

**** 

"Mommy, will you sing to us?" 

Jed had just closed the book on _Stellaluna_ and was getting to his feet when Aislinn made her request. Abbey smiled. Her children were just as eager to fall back into their old routine as she and Jed were. After their baths and powder and pajamas, Aislinn and Nicholas had recited their nighttime prayers with their parents, then Jed had read them a couple of stories and now they wanted their song from mommy. Abbey sat on the edge of the full bed that held both twins and with fingertips gently brushing hair back off faces and tracing over their tiny features she sang. 

> " _Somewhere over the rainbow_  
>  Way up high   
> There's a land that I heard of   
> Once in a lullaby 
> 
> Somewhere over the rainbow   
> Skies are blue   
> And the dreams that you dare to dream   
> Really do come true   
> Some day I'll wish upon a star   
> And wake up where the clouds are far behind me   
> Where troubles melt like lemondrops   
> Away above the chimney tops   
> That's where you'll find me 
> 
> Somewhere over the rainbow   
> Bluebirds fly   
> Birds fly over the rainbow   
> Why then, oh why can't I?"

Swallowing the emotion that formed a lump in his throat, Jed leaned against the wall watching his wife, taking in the loving tenderness in her touch as she caressed their children, her own emotions at being reunited with them evident in her beautiful and, at times, tremulous voice as she sang. It was such a loving, peaceful moment, he was loathe to walk away and instead moved forward, resting a hand on her shoulder. She smiled up at him eyes shining with unshed tears. 

> " _If happy little bluebirds fly  
>  Beyond the rainbow   
> Why, oh why can't I?_"   
>    ( _Over the Rainbow_ by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg)

**** 

Early in the wee hours of the morning, still half asleep, Jed's hand moved to slide reassuringly over his wife's warm body. Frowning, he realized that the softness he was curled around held no sweet curve of hip, no gentle swell of breast. He squinted into the darkened room and found that he was curled around a pillow. 

"Abbey?" His raspy voice called out toward the bathroom to see if she was simply heeding nature's call. 

She was not. He stirred then swinging his legs over the side of the bed and slipping into his bathrobe. He had a pretty good idea of where she was. After the twins had fallen asleep, they had gone back downstairs and taught the Blairs how to play Shanghai rummy. They had played cards and talked about the state visit and then when Tony asked to speak with him privately in the library about national security issues, Abbey had gone back upstairs wanting to check on the children. He had a feeling that was where he was going to find her now and was not surprised when he opened the door to the twins bedroom to find Abbey in her bathrobe sleeping in a chair next to the bed head thrown back at an angle he knew would give her a crick in the neck. 

"Abbey?" He gently touched her shoulder, careful not to startle her and awaken the children. "Abigail?" 

"Hmmm..." Abbey's eyes fluttered open. He saw the disorientation as she took in her surroundings. 

"You're in the kids' room at Chequers." 

"Oh," Abbey stretched and sure enough her hand went to her neck rubbing at it with a soft groan. "I must have fallen asleep." 

"Must have. What are you doing in here? Did the kids wake up?" 

"No." Abbey's look turned sheepish as she took the hand he extended toward her and got to her feet. 

Pausing for a moment, she stood at the edge of the bed, a soft maternal smile touching her lips as she took in the way the twins were cuddled up together – blond heads merged as one, their little chests rising and falling, soft sighs emitting every so often from their little pink lips. "I just...well...I woke up and I felt this huge need to come back in here. To see them, to smell them, to touch them." She turned to him. "Do you understand?" 

Jed nodded, his big warm hand moving out to cup over her cheek. She was his lover, his wife, but she was also a mother. "It was a wonderful time in Ireland, but never so long without them again." 

"Well, never is an awful long time," Abbey's hand rose to cover over his pressing it more firmly against her cheek. "But, at least not until they're much older." 

Jed bent, touching his lips lightly to hers. "It's agreed. Now come back to bed, sweet knees. We still have a couple of hours before daybreak." His fingers moved to the back of her neck massaging the strained muscles and eliciting a soft moan from Abbey's lips. 

"Promise me you'll keep doing that and I'll follow you anywhere." 

"I'll remember that. I don't like waking up spooning a pillow instead of your sweet little bum." 

"You can spoon my bum all you want. Just keep those fingers moving." 

"Well, yes, ma'am, I most certainly will." 

**** 

Leo McGarry hung back away from the crowd that greeted the President, First Lady and their children at Winfield House, home of the U.S. Ambassador to the Court of St. James. He hadn't planned on being present for the state visit – had decided to stay back in Washington and keep an eye on things, but Jed had convinced him to come, wanting him to experience an evening at Buckingham Palace and dinner with the Queen of England. And so he was here watching the official greeting from the Ambassador and his staff. It was Abbey who noticed him first. Her face lit with a smile of acknowledgement. 

"Leo." She moved from the line of dignitaries to give him a quick hug. He pulled back, eyeing her for a quiet moment – that dazzling smile, the shining light that danced in her eyes, the softness of her features, the languid way her body moved – it all spoke of a woman who had been loved, loved well and loved often. 

"You look absolutely radiant," he told her. 

"That's what a little time off will do for you," she gently tweaked him. Leo continued to stare at her with a raised brow that caused her to laugh. "Well, that too, of course." Her suggestive wink caused Leo to smile, a twinkle touching his eyes. 

"Of course." Then, in a quicksilver change of mood, his face turned more somber and he reached out for Abbey's forearm squeezing it gently. "Seriously, Abbey, it's good to see you both looking so well and so happy." The anniversary of the kidnapping and the estrangement between her and Jed because of it were very much the elephants in the room, unspoken but acknowledged by both. 

"We're good, Leo," she assured him, her eyes falling on her jovial husband who was enthusiastically shaking hands with Nicholas on his hip. "We're really, really good." 

"Uncle Leo, guess what?" Aislinn shattered the seriousness of the moment, pretty as a picture in her daisy covered sundress and little ponytail, tendrils of unruly flaxen curls escaping to curl around her cherubic little face. 

"What?" Leo asked, the twinkle back in his eye at the sight of the animated little girl. 

"I'm gonna meet the Queen." 

"I think maybe it's the other way around," Leo said. "I think the Queen is going to meet Miss Aislinn Bartlet." 

"That's what I said." She wrinkled her nose in an exact replica of her mother. 

Leo and Abbey laughed at the little girl's lack of understanding in what Leo was trying to tell her. 

"Did you know the Queen is OLD?" 

Abbey's full attention moved to her daughter, a frown creasing her brow while Leo fought not to laugh. "Where did you hear that, Aislinn?" she asked. 

"'Lizabeth tolded me. I asked her if the Queen was pretty and she said she was old." 

Abbey mentally chastised her eldest daughter, then knelt before her youngest. "You know, sweetheart, it isn't polite to call someone old, so I don't want you to say that to anybody else, especially the Queen. Okay?" 

"Okay, Mommy. But, know what? You don't gots to be scared of her 'cause she's not mean like in _Snow White_." 

Abbey rolled her eyes and sighed praying that her offspring did not create an international incident. 

**** 

The crowds had been gathering around the Mall, the long drive that led to Buckingham Palace, since early morning. By the time the Presidential motorcade pulled up to Admiralty Arch, there were thousands of people waving Union Jacks and the Stars and Stripes to show their appreciation to the popular U.S. President and his equally popular, glamorous wife. 

The Grenadier Guards and mounted cavalry troops stood by as the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall and Tony and Cherie Blair were waiting to greet the President and First Lady. All it took for the cheers to erupt was the door to the limousine being opened and the sight of one shapely calf and a very high-heeled shoe. Soon the rest of the First Lady exited and she stood – a vision of loveliness in a sleek pale celadon summer sheath that matched her eyes and that left her tanned shoulders bare. Her long hair was swept up off her neck into an elegant French twist, long strawberry tendrils curling loosely about her face like her daughter's. She wore a conservative strand of pearls around her neck and pearl drop earrings looking elegant and stylish but still more movie star than stuffy First Lady. Another cheer erupted as the handsome President, the breeze blowing his thick sandy bronze hair onto his forehead circled around the limo. He acknowledged them with a grin and a wave then brushed the hair back impatiently and took his wife's hand to go and meet the members of the royal family. 

If Abbey had thought her dress conservative, it had nothing on the two royal ladies that greeted her. In spite of the heat of the day, both the Queen and Camilla, who were well known – in the royal fashion – to be rather dowdy, wore long sleeved suits, the skirts of which fell several inches lower than hers, and hats. Camilla's – a large rather silly creation was covered with feathers and the Queen's smaller one was perched on the iron gray helmet of hair. However, at 78 years of age, the Queen was still sharp and very gracious in her greeting, as was Prince Philip who was known to have an eye for a pretty lady. Abbey was conscious of the fact that all eyes were upon her to see if she would curtsey to the Queen, which she did not, as many of her predecessors hadn't. For, other than the fact that she was not a British citizen, as the wife of another head of state she was considered the Queen's equal and would not be required to curtsey to the monarch. A simple handshake worked just fine and was accepted with a gracious smile. 

While Jed, Prince Philip and Prince Charles inspected the guard of honor; Abbey introduced a now bashful Aislinn and Nicholas to the Queen and Duchess. Much to Abbey's discomfort, the children stared at Camilla's head enthralled by her feathery hat. However, instead of being offended, Camilla laughed. 

"You like my hat, luvvies?" she asked, and took it off for them to examine. 

"Don't pull anything," Abbey warned sternly as the children tentatively touched the hat. She was very relieved when Jed finished the ceremonial check and joined her before the children ripped any feathers off the hat. Before climbing into the open carriages that would take them to Buckingham Palace, the photographers went into a frenzy for a picture that would be front page all over the world. As the band of the Royal Regiment began the first notes of the "Star Spangled Banner", the President and First Lady lifted their hands to cover their hearts for their national anthem, however, that was hardly a story. It was their two very young children who were rarely seen and photographed emulating their parents, standing at attention with little hands over their hearts that threw everyone into such an uproar. After a rendition of "God Save the Queen", the dignitaries began to assemble into their carriages. Then, as the horses started drawing the open carriages from Admiralty Arch, where they'd shared their greeting, up the long Mall toward the palace, a 41-gun royal salute was fired in Green Park by the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, and at the Tower of London. 

Jed had walked along the Mall several times while he and Abbey had been living in London and to look out now at the cheering throngs, hundreds of people who had come out to see him and Abbey, it was a completely surrealistic moment for him. Waving at the people on her side of the carriage, Abbey could feel Jed wiggling on the seat beside her and knew it was killing him not to stop the procession and plunge into the crowd to shake a few hands. She turned to him with a knowing grin. 

"Do you believe this?" he asked her. 

She shook her head. "How could I have ever dreamt something like this?" She gestured to the rolling sea of people. "They love you here too, Jed." After a year of guilt and self-loathing, nothing could have been better for her husband's spirit then this outpouring of support that he had received for the past few weeks. 

"Not just me." He gestured to a sign that read "We Love You Abbey" then wagged a stern finger at a young man carrying a sign that read "Abbey, Give Us A Kiss" that had the crowd laughing, more so when Abbey did blow the man a kiss which he pretended to grasp out of the air and hold to his heart. 

As they got closer to the palace, Abbey bent to point it out to her two overwhelmed and awestruck children. 

"We're going to sleep there?" Nicholas turned wide eyes to his mother. 

"You betcha. Tonight, my little prince, you'll be sleeping in a real life palace." 

The procession wound around the Victoria Memorial to the Palace forecourt stopping in front of Royal Horse Artillery where they all stepped out of their carriages and at a special request from the President and First Lady, stood to watch the Changing of the Guard from the inside. Jed took Abbey's hand with a little squeeze and she turned to him with a smile. They were both of the same mind, both remembering the days they had stood on the outside watching the ceremony with little Elizabeth, who had only been a bit younger than the twins, in their arms. Now they had come full circle, standing right next to the Queen with their two youngest children in their arms, this time front row center. 

Once inside the palace, the First Family and the American and British dignitaries accompanying them were lead up the grand curved marble staircase, lined with portraits that were set into the wall during the time of Queen Victoria and then down the Grand Hall to the Music Room, where a luncheon was to be held. Since it was a more formal affair and since the Queen had raised own children in the "children should be seen and not heard" manner, only seeing them briefly and formally after the nanny had fed and bathed them then sending them off to be tucked in, in a way that was totally alien to Abbey and Jed, Aislinn and Nicholas were sent off with Izzy to the Belgian Suite where the family would be staying for their own less formal lunch. Abbey did not have a problem with that decision at all. There was only so much pomp and formality that two three year olds could deal with and they were going to need a nap anyway. 

After the luncheon in the Music Room, where most of the royal babies including Prince William, had been christened, Prince Charles gave the First Couple a tour of the picture gallery and some of the state rooms, including the Throne Room, which true to form held the two thrones for the monarchs as well as a glass cased sword used for investitures. Both being history buffs, the First Couple were awed by the fact that they were treading on the same floors and in the same rooms as the Kings and Queens of not only England but all of Europe. Charles' stories and anecdotes fascinated them and they were disappointed when the tour had to end, however, a tight schedule had to be kept. Jed was off to Downing Street to meet with opposition leaders and then for a joint press conference with Prime Minister Blair, while Abbey had been promised a tour of the Royal Mews with her children. 

Fresh from their naps and excited to see the horses, the twins, holding on tightly to Abbey's hands, were led by a footman down to the gardens where they were greeted by Major Felix Wheeler, the Crown Equerry, a title given to the man who was overseer of the Mews. The Mews consisted of both a grand and very elegant stable where the carriage horses were housed and a storage and display area for the royal carriages. 

"Mommy," Nicholas tugged on his mother's skirt his eyes never leaving the white wigged scarlet liveried coachmen. "Why are those men dressed so funny?" 

Felix's lips twitched with amusement and Abbey bent to talk softly to her son. "They aren't dressed funny, Nicholas. They're wearing uniforms that they have to wear on special occasions." 

"What's a special 'casion?" 

"Well, this time it's your daddy coming here to visit. The Queen is celebrating your daddy's visit to her country so the people involved in the celebration wear uniforms." 

"Is it cause it's almost his birthday?" 

"No," Abbey smiled. For the children, everything that had to do with their father was personal; they were too young to understand the broader scope of his Presidency. "It's because he's President of the United States and that's a very, very, important job and when he visits other countries, they want to honor him since he holds that title, just like we will do for the Queen when she comes to the White House. But, don't worry. We'll be celebrating Daddy's birthday too, because that's very important to us, right?" 

"Right," he grinned. 

Wandering away from her mother and brother, Aislinn looked from the shining ornate gold state carriage that the Queen used on the most special of occasions then over to coachmen, her little mind putting two and two together. She looked up at her mother with wide sea green eyes. "Is this where Cindewella lives?" Her voice was breathless with awe. 

Abbey smiled at her childish imagination. "No, honey, I hate to burst your bubble but Cinderella does not live here." 

"Oh." Aislinn looked markedly discouraged but perked up when Felix gave her and Nicholas sugar cubes to treat the horses with. When they finished at the Mews, they were lead through the gardens to the kennels where they got a surprise visit from the Queen and her corgis and dorgis. Delighted, the children knelt in the grass giggling as they were surrounded by dogs and licking tongues. 

"We gots two doggies," Aislinn told the Queen. 

"Have you? What kind of dogs do you have?" 

"Max is German," Nicholas said. 

"A German Shepherd," Abbey added for clarification. 

"Panda looks like Lassie," Aislinn said. "Only she's little 'n she's black not brown." 

"She's a Shetland Sheepdog," Abbey supplied. 

The Queen nodded. "A good herding dog, just like the Corgis." 

"And she's really cute." Aislinn giggled as one of the corgis licked at her ear. "Your doggies is cute too." 

"Thank you." The Queen nodded her approval. Aislinn looked up at the elderly woman for a long moment as if taking her measure, then a sweet smile dimpled her cheek. 

"You're nice," she said. "You aren't mean like the Queen in _Snow White_." 

Abbey stiffened and held her breath, well aware of the phrase "the Queen was not amused". It took a moment but the normally impassive features of the Queen broke into a slight smile as she gazed down at the little girl. 

"Well, that's very good to know, because from what I hear she was just awful." 

"Yup," Aislinn nodded. "My daddy says that she is just as mean as mean can be." 

"Your father is a wise man." 

"He's the President," Nicholas was very matter of fact about that. 

"And he likes to read us stories." 

"And watch movies with us. Daddy's favorite is _Lion King_." 

"'N Mommy's is _Beauty and the Beast_. I like that one too, but I like _Little Mermaid_ best. I wants to be Ariel when I grow up." 

Having just gained a wealth of knowledge in the relationship the President and First Lady had with their children and still surprised that it had been Abbey and not the nanny who had accompanied them to the Mews, Queen Elizabeth turned to Nicholas who was rolling a tennis ball for the dogs. "Do you have a favorite, Nicholas?" she asked. 

"I like _Finding Nemo_. We gots a big fish tank with fishies like Nemo and Dorie at my house." 

Almost imperceptibly, a Secret Service agent cleared his throat. "Ma'am?" 

"Yes?" Both Abbey and the Queen turned at the term then smiled at the color that flooded the agent's cheeks. 

"Mrs. Bartlet," he amended. "Your hair stylist has arrived." 

Abbey looked at her watch; sure enough it was time to start preparing for the elaborate state banquet that was being held that evening. 

**** 

Jed arrived back at the suite while a British stylist that had been recommended to her was rolling Abbey's hair into big thick hot curlers and she told him of their impromptu visit with the Queen in the gardens. 

"They weren't intimidated?" he asked, taking his tuxedo from the valet that had been assigned him by the Royal staff then dismissing the man. Jed Bartlet did NOT need help getting dressed, well other than a little tie repair and cufflink clasp that his wife was more than capable of helping out with. 

"Not at all. You know what they told me? They said that she reminded them of Grandmother Bartlet." 

"Of my MOTHER?" 

"Yes," Abbey grinned. "They said she doesn't smile but that doesn't mean that she's mean." 

"Well, my mother's life will now be complete. I can't think of a better compliment for her than to know that she was likened to the Queen." 

"Out of the mouths of babes." 

"And speaking of babes, I hear there is going to be a surprise for you tonight." 

"Really, what?" 

"Now if I told you it wouldn't be a surprise." 

"Jed," Abbey's eyes narrowed dangerously. Jed chuckled; he'd seen that look a thousand times. His wife was an impatient sort. 

"You'll just have to wait and see. Suffice it to say, it's something you're going to enjoy." 

Abbey sighed; Jed could be very tight lipped when he wanted to be. Her only recourse to force information out of him was not available to her because there just wasn't time for seduction. Evidently, she would just have to wait and see. 


	30. Summer of Us, The

Half-asleep, Aislinn stirred at the scent of her mother's floral perfume and the feel of cool lips against her forehead. She whimpered softly in protest and her heavy blue-green eyes blinked sleepily. 

"Sssh...it's okay." Abbey wiped her lipstick from the little girl's baby soft skin with a swipe of her thumb, her eyes moving from her daughter to her son, who like his daddy could sleep through an earthquake and hadn't stirred at the touch of her lips. "Mommy and Daddy are just leaving for the ball and I wanted to say good-night." 

Aislinn's eyes widened as she took in her mother's flowing ball gown and gloves and the jewels that glittered on her throat and in her hair and she asked her breathlessly, "Mooommmy...Are you a princess?" 

Abbey gave a soft laugh. "No, honey, I'm not a princess. But you know what? Tonight I sure do feel like one." 

Aislinn reached a hand out to touch her mother's jaw. "You're pretty, Mommy." 

"Thank you, sweetheart," Abbey kissed her warm little hand. 

"Can I go to the ball?" 

"No, baby. It's just for grown ups – this time." 

"But I don't want you to go." Tears welled in the little girl's eyes and mutiny set in her face. 

"I'm going to be right down the hall and Izzy's here and when we wake up in the morning we're all going to the zoo, remember?" 

Aislinn's face relaxed and she gave her mother a watery smile and nodded. "I member." 

"And when we get back home to the White House, we'll have a tea party and get all dressed up like we're going to a ball." 

"Can I wear a crown?" Aislinn yawned, her eyes getting heavy again. 

"A tiara? Yes, you can,. You can wear whatever you want." 

"Okay." The word was barely a whisper as the little girl drifted back off to sleep. 

"Sweet dreams, baby girl." Abbey kissed her forehead again then joined her husband in the hall. 

Jed's eyes lit with an appreciation so blatant Abbey had to smile. He'd seen bits and pieces of the work in progress but his first view of the finished product caused his breath to catch in his throat. Abbey wore a romantic lavender Grecian style Givenchy gown that left one lightly tanned shoulder bare. Long elegant white opera gloves covered her arms. A three-strand choker of Australian south sea pearls and white and purple diamonds glittered around her slender throat while matching earrings dropped delicately from her ears. And, while she might not have a tiara like the royal princesses that would be in attendance, her mane of cinnamon curls had been swept up off her shoulders and piled into a style of studied disarray that was held in place with dozens of tiny purple diamond hair pins that sparkled throughout her hair. A few feminine tendrils were allowed to fall loose and curl around her collarbone adding a sexy touch to the classic look. 

"Wow." 

"Is that all you can say?" Abbey gave a coquettish pirouette before him. "Pretty pathetic for – what did the London Times call you? The premier orator of the 21st century." 

Jed laughed and took both her hands in his quoting Lord Byron. " _She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies_ ; You, Mrs. Bartlet, are a work of art. A vision of beauty beyond compare." 

"Much better." She leaned forward to press a quick kiss to his lips, then just as quickly lifted a thumb to wipe the smudge of lipstick she'd left there as she had done earlier with Aislinn. She took a step back and laid her palms over his lapels smoothing the material of his jacket over his chest and surveying him like she always did. While her husband was an incredibly handsome man no matter what his attire, there was something about a tux and tails that lent him a sense of elegant power that was a very powerful aphrodisiac indeed. She lifted her hand to run her fingertips over his stubborn cowlick then paused to touch the distinguished hint of silver that graced the temples of his tawny hair. "You know, you're not so bad yourself, President Bartlet. You're going to have all those aristocratic ladies swooning." Jed snorted with laughter. 

"I'm serious," Abbey's fingers continued down to straighten his crooked tie. "I'm gonna have to keep my eye on you tonight." 

"Right back at you, babe." His dancing blue eyes crinkled at the corners as he offered her his arm. "Ready to go." 

"As ready as I'll ever be." She took a deep breath and they started off down the corridor. Jed could feel the stiffness in her limbs, knew her nerves were kicking in and sought to reassure her. "You're gonna knock 'em dead, toots. You'll out-princess the princesses." 

"Don't you think you might be a little biased?" 

"Woman, I've been told I'm a brilliant man. Don't question my brilliance. If I say you're gonna knock 'em dead, you sure as hell are going to knock 'em dead." 

"Well, I appreciate the confidence." She inhaled again, plastering a smile on her face as the footmen opened the doors to the elegant white drawing room where the royal family had gathered for a reception with the guests of honor, which included not only Jed and Abbey but also the members of Jed's accompanying staff. The room went quiet, the music stopping as the President and First Lady stepped in – all eyes on the beautiful and powerful couple. A man stepped forward to formally announce them. 

"The President and Dr. Bartlet." 

Abbey looked to Jed with surprise; her usual introduction was a simple Mrs. Bartlet. He gave her quick wink and bent to whisper in her ear. "Titles are a big thing over here. You deserve yours." 

Abbey swallowed tightly. It meant as much if not more to her that Jed appreciated her brains and her career as much as he did her beauty. She didn't have to say a word, the grateful smile that touched her lips and the emotion in her eyes told him all he needed to know and he gently squeezed the hand that lay in the crook of his elbow. 

"AB-AH-GAIL" 

Jed stiffened at the familiar voice and Abbey turned with a smile ready for whatever onslaught Lord John sent her way. 

"Hello, your lordship." 

"My GOD." John's hands grasped her on each shoulder. "You are simply RAVISHING, my dear. You just get more beautiful every time I see you." 

"Thank you, John." She accepted his kiss, turning her face to the right to defer the buss he had planned for her lips to instead land on her cheek. John turned to Jed who was never quite sure how to take the man's advances on his wife. 

"You're a lucky man, Mr. President, to have a wife as luscious as Abigail, here. I do hope you tell her how lucky you are." He turned to Abbey. "He does tell you, darling, doesn't he?" John lifted Abbey's hand kissing the back of it. 

"He does." Amusement played across Abbey's face. John was an outrageous flirt but he was basically harmless. However, Jed's own countenance had grown decidedly more steely the longer the man flirted with her. 

"She knows," he said firmly, pulling Abbey more tightly to his side. Abbey smiled to herself at the flow of testosterone that was coursing through her husband's possessive body. 

"Well, good, good. I shall leave you to join your receiving line, but Abigail, I expect you to save me a dance, and a slow one at that." John wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at her and Abbey couldn't help the bubble of laughter that worked its way free. 

"I won't disappoint you, your lordship." 

John bent his head in thanks and with a wicked grin was off. 

"You watch yourself with him," Jed warned. 

"Oh, Jed, he's harmless. He's like that with all women." 

"Not ALL women, just the beautiful ones. And, he seems to have his sights set on you." 

"He likes to flirt and he knows he can get a rise out of you. You just play into his hands with that jealous possessiveness of yours. Even if it is quite adorable." 

"Adorable?" Jed was affronted. "Don't call me adorable." 

"Well, I'm sorry, but you are. However, you're also virile and macho and sexy and..." 

"Virile, macho and sexy, very interesting indeed. It's nice to meet a woman who appreciates her husband's attributes." 

Embarrassed and blushing at being caught in the intimate banter with her husband, Abbey turned to see a grinning Duchess of Cornwall, a large tiara having replaced the big feather hat from earlier in the day. 

"Well, as said husband, all I can say it's is nice to be appreciated." 

Before the conversation could continue, the doors opened and the Queen and Prince Philip were announced and it was time to form a receiving line for the one hundred fifty invited guests. The music of bagpipes played in the background while the Queen, Prince, President and First Lady greeted the guests. Receiving lines were something familiar to Abbey and she immediately began to relax into something that had become routine to her. Warm and friendly, gracious and outgoing, the First Couple came over very well to the _crème de la crème_ of the British aristocracy as well as to leaders in the worlds of government, arts, business, religion, health and the environment. 

When the receiving line was over, it was time for the procession to the ballroom. It was quite amazing for Abbey and Jed to watch all assembled members of the royal family as they lined up by rank and birth order. Everyone seemed to know his or her place. The Queen and Jed led the procession followed by Prince Philip and Abbey, behind them the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke of York – Prince Andrew, the Duke and Duchess of Wessex – Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, The Princess Royal and her husband Commander Timothy Laurence and on through the many dukes and duchesses and princes and princesses. The procession moved through the east wing, by the picture gallery passing walls lined with masterpieces by Rubens, Rembrandt, Van Dyck and so many other of the truly great artists. 

As Abbey followed her husband and the Queen at the side of the 83 year old Duke of Edinburgh, she wondered if it had rankled Philip over the years to constantly be placed ten paces behind his wife. The protocol of formal events, such as this, often required her to walk behind Jed with the spouse of the visiting head of state but at any other time she was at his side, his equal. How must it have been for this proud man to spend his marriage knowing he would never be considered his wife's equal? What would it be like to have to live in this insular world of formality and rules and protocol every day of ones life? She and Jed were lucky. Dr. and Dr. Bartlet, they were equals in every way. 

Seated at the head table along with Abbey and Jed and the Queen and Prince Philip were Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Secretary of State Lewis Berryhill and his wife Marion, Nancy McNalley and her husband Bill and Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, head of the Catholic Church in England. 

After the Queen's toast, Jed gave a formal one in response that had an added twist. "While I've just spoken to you of the ties that bind our two great nations, I would now like to make a more personal toast. That great English statesman Winston Churchill once said 'My most brilliant achievement was my ability to persuade my wife to marry me.' I could not have said it better. Without Abigail by my side, I would not be standing before you here today. Her support, her loyalty and her love have helped me to become the man and the leader that I am today. I'd like to take this moment on behalf of both of us to thank the people of England for the warm welcome they gave two American newlyweds just starting out their lives together. Abbey and I will always treasure the time we were able to spend here in the first years of our marriage. To England." He lifted his glass, as did everyone in the room, then sat back down between the Queen and the Princess Royal. 

At the far end of the room was a musician's gallery where a military orchestra of the Scots Guards began playing a selection of music that included more bagpipes along with Broadway show tunes. 

Abbey was taking a sip of wine when Prince Philip turned to her. "Mrs. Bartlet or should I say Dr. Bartlet?" 

"Please, call me Abbey." 

"All right, Abbey, then. I've been intrigued by this ever since your husband mentioned it today when we were discussing the unfortunate split between our nations." 

"You mean the American Revolution?" 

Philip grinned at the lovely direct American woman. A direct man himself, he was going to like this Abbey Bartlet. "Yes, well, I believe that's what you call it. In any case, your husband mentioned that you descend from a pirate who plied his trade during that time." 

"Oh, he did, did he?" Abbey's eyes narrowed and sought Jed across the table but he was busy laying his considerable charm on the Queen who seemed to be succumbing, if the smiles and laughter were any indication. 

"He did. It's actually a quite interesting and alluring prospect." 

"And why my husband persists in referring to me that way, however, he is a bit mistaken. My ancestor Captain Thomas Weathergill was a merchant captain who was commissioned by the newly formed government when war broke out. If you remember correctly, unlike your own country we didn't have a navy at the time. He was a privateer. A patriot. And, he got me into the D.A.R.," she grinned. 

"The D.A.R.?" 

"Daughters of the American Revolution. I'm one of them. You know it's really quite amazing when you think of it. Jed's ancestor Josiah Bartlett signed the Declaration of Independence and mine, Thomas Weathergill, hung around with Sam Adams and the Sons of Liberty, and here we are having dinner with the English Royal Family. I think it's wonderful that once such bitter rivals can now be the closest of friends." 

Philip grinned. The American First Lady was both charming and gracious and skilled in diplomacy. "It is wonderful indeed. No better friends than Britain and America." 

Abbey, having heard of the reputation the Duke of Edinburgh had for being blunt and tactless at times, had been surprised to find herself enjoying conversing with him, especially when he got on the subject of his own royal background as he was related to almost every royal house in Europe. It was incredible to sit and talk to a man who was cousin or nephew to people she only knew through the history books. 

To her left sat the Prince of Wales who opened up tremendously once he realized that even though she was a doctor, many of who pooh-poohed his interest in alternative medicine, she was open and knowledgeable on the subject. He found her, as had his father, to be lovely, charming, extremely intelligent and well read, and possessing a very American openness to her nature that was very appealing to his own more reserved character. 

The Queen had formally met ten United States Presidents and never had she been quite so impressed as she was tonight with this President. Jed Bartlet's American enthusiasm and warmth along with his sharp wit and keen intelligence was unique among the other men she had met. He moved from in-depth theological discussions with the Cardinal, to economics in Africa with her daughter Anne, who was the head of _Save the Children Fund_ , to the history of Britain with an ease and flair that was quite astonishing. The man was absolutely brilliant, however there was nothing high handed or pompous about him. Instead, there was a boyish quality to him that was indeed extremely charming and infectious. But, it was when the conversation moved to his family that the man truly came alive. 

"Mr. President, I understand you were a post graduate student at the London School of Economics," the Queen said. 

"I was, Your Majesty. Abbey and I had just gotten married that summer and we moved here. London was the first place we shared a home." 

"Where in the city did you live?" 

"We had a tiny little flat in Battersea, just across from the park and down the street from the Royal Albert Bridge. Our daughter Elizabeth was born here." 

"Quite a lovely name," the Queen raised an amused brow. 

"I'd like to say we named her for you, but the truth of the matter is, it's Abbey's mother's name." 

The Queen nodded with a little grin. "Did you enjoy the time you spent here?" 

"Very much. I think we were both feeling a bit orphaned having just graduated college and gotten married and, of course, expecting a baby so far away from our home and our families. But, our landlords in Battersea, George and Mary Tigglesworth, were a wonderful older couple. They took us under their wings and gave Abbey a part time job at their bookstore on Charing Cross so she could get out of the apartment and earn a little money while I went to school. I was able to study there and when Elizabeth came along, they let Abbey bring her to work. She had a playpen set up near the check out counter. We did the touristy things when we could – Changing of the Guard, The Tower of London, the museums and art galleries. We tried to get as much out of the experience as we could." 

"Did you get to see any other parts of the country at all?" 

"We did. The Tigglesworths had a car, which they lent us quite often so we could drive into the countryside and really experience being in England. We didn't have a lot money, but then again we didn't really need it. We drove into the Cotswolds for picnics and we camped out down in Cornwall, in St. Ives. We visited Stonehenge and Oxford and Stratford-Upon-Avon. For our first anniversary, the Tigglesworths kept Elizabeth and we were able to go away for a romantic weekend in Wales. And, when Elizabeth was two, we went on our first little family vacation for a week in Blackpool." Jed's eyes moved across the table to his wife who was leaning toward Prince Philip and laughing at something the elderly man was saying to her. The candlelight danced over the bare skin of her shoulder creating fiery highlights in her burnished auburn hair and sparkling off the diamonds that held it in place. Pride filled his chest, she was a credit to him and to her country and he couldn't wait to get her alone and thank her properly. To pull those shining clips from her hair and let it spill through his fingertips. 

The Queen smiled, touched by the softness that came over Jed's face as he reminisced about the early years of his marriage. It was obvious that the papers had got this one right – that the union Jed and Abbey Bartlet was a real love match. The fact that the feeling was still there between the two and had not diminished or died over the years was quite apparent now as their eyes met over the table – the chemistry between them as palpable as it was when one watched them in the company of the two very young children they had conceived almost three decades into their marriage. 

With dinner over, the guests were led into the Music Room room, Jed and Abbey seated front row center right next to the famous English composer of musical theater, Andrew Lloyd Webber. Hands began to clap as the flamboyant Elton John took to the stage. 

"I was asked to be here tonight to sing a variety of love songs in celebration of the President and First Lady's vow renewal ceremony," Elton stated. "I'd like to begin with a special song the President put at the top of his list." 

Abbey turned to smile at her husband and with a smile in return, he reached for her hand pulling it over to rest against his thigh. 

> " _There was a time_  
>  I was everything and nothing all in one   
> When you found me   
> I was feeling like a cloud across the sun 
> 
> I need to tell you   
> How you light up every second of the day   
> But in the moonlight   
> You just shine like a beacon on the bay 
> 
> And I can't explain   
> But its something about the way you look tonight   
> Takes my breath away   
> Its that feeling I get about you, deep inside   
> And I can't describe   
> But its something about the way you look tonight   
> Takes my breath away   
> The way you look tonight 
> 
> With a smile   
> You pull the deepest secrets from my heart   
> In all honesty   
> I'm speechless and I don't know where to start 
> 
> And I can't explain   
> But its something about the way you look tonight   
> Takes my breath away   
> Its that feeling I get about you, deep inside   
> And I cant describe   
> But its something about the way you look tonight   
> Takes my breath away   
> The way you look tonight"   
>    ( _Something About The Way You Look Tonight_ by Elton John  & Bernie Taupin)

Elton continued on singing some of his greatest love songs – "Can You Feel the Love the Love Tonight?", Your Song", "The One" – along with a medley of some of his biggest hits. When he finished, the mood on stage turned more formal as Sarah Brighton and Michael Crawford, the first actors to portray the leads in the First Couple's favorite musical _Phantom of the Opera_ replaced him. Together and separately, they brought to life some of Andrew Lloyd Webber's greatest hits – "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from _Jesus Christ Superstar_ , "Don't Cry for me, Argentina" from _Evita_ , "Memory" from _Cats_ , and finishing with two stirring _Phantom_ favorites "Music of the Night" and "All I Ask Of You" – the last song having been played during Abbey and Jed's vow renewal. Caught up in the emotions of the soaring music and lyrics, hands still clasped tightly together, eyes often turning to each other in silent connection, the couple enjoyed the magic of their personal concert. However, Abbey was completely unprepared for her biggest surprise of all. 

"Hello everyone, Your Majesty, Your Royal Highnesses, President and Mrs. Bartlet. I'm here tonight at the request of the President of the United States as a surprise to his wife whom I've been told had a certain admiration for me as a young teenager. Is that true, Mrs. Bartlet?" 

Abbey's eyes widened with disbelief as Paul McCartney looked down on her with a smile. She nodded returning the smile, her hand squeezing Jed's. "It was a crush," she said with a smile of her own. 

"I'm flattered. Well, I'm on stage tonight because the President picked out a song he would like me to sing for you. So, Abbey, this one's for you." The music struck up to "Maybe I'm Amazed" and Abbey leaned in close to Jed. 

"I can't believe you did this," she whispered. 

"Well, as long as you remember you aren't thirteen years old anymore," he warned. 

"Good thing for you I'm not." She smiled impishly and lay her cheek against his shoulder while Paul sang to her the song Jed had chosen, tears burning her eyes as she listened to the message her husband was sending her way. 

> " _Baby, I'm amazed at the way you love me all the time_  
>  Maybe I'm afraid of the way I love you   
> Baby, I'm amazed at the way you pulled me out of time   
> Hung me on a line   
> Maybe I'm amazed at the way I really need you 
> 
> Baby, I'm a man and maybe I'm a lonely man   
> Who's in the middle of something   
> That he doesn't really understand   
> Babe, I'm a man and maybe you're the only woman   
> Who could ever help me   
> Baby, wont you help to me understand 
> 
> Baby, I'm amazed at the way you're with me all the time   
> Maybe I'm afraid of the way I leave you   
> Baby, I'm amazed at the way you help me sing my song   
> You right me when I'm wrong   
> Maybe I'm amazed at the way I really need you"   
>    ( _Maybe I'm amazed_ by Paul McCartney)

As the song ended, Abbey rose and extended a hand to the former Beatle thanking him for the song. Jed assumed the evening's entertainment was over, however, Abbey had her own surprise up her sleeve. Knowing how much Jed had enjoyed the play the _War of the Roses_ and hoping for some much needed closure, she had asked if a performance of the finale would be possible. As the cast stepped out onto the stage in full costume, she felt the surprise through Jed's arm into the clenching of his hand on hers. She leaned in to whisper to him. "It's okay. I'm here. I want you to listen to the lyrics. You had to do it, Jed. You did it for your country, not England as in the song, but America." 

Jed gave an almost imperceptible nod of his head but he was still stiff. 

> " _England arise! Join in the chorus!_  
>  It is a new made song you should be singing.   
> See in the skies, flutt'ring before us   
> what the bright bird of peace is bringing! 
> 
> See upon our smiling land   
> where the wealths of nations stand   
> where prosperity and industry walk   
> ever hand in hand.   
> Where so many blessings crowd,   
> 'tis our duty to be proud.   
> Up and answer, English Yeoman,   
> sing it joyfully aloud. 
> 
> Evermore upon our country   
> God will pour his rich increase,   
> And victorious in war shall be made glorious in peace,   
> And victorious in war shall be made glorious in peace. 
> 
> See each one do what he can   
> to further God's almighty plan.   
> The benificence of heaven   
> help the skilfulness of man.   
> Ev'ry garner fill'd with grain,   
> Ev'ry meadow blest with rain:   
> Rich and fertile is the golden corn   
> that bear and bears again. 
> 
> Where so many blessings crowd,   
> 'Tis our duty to be proud.   
> Up and answer, fellow Britons,   
> sing it joyfully aloud. 
> 
> Evermore upon our country   
> God will pour his rich increase   
> And victorious in war shall be made glorious in peace,   
> And victorious in war shall be made glorious in peace"   
>    ( _Patriotic Chorus_ by Stephen Oliver)

The last time he'd heard this song, Jed had not been able to focus on the lyrics or to enjoy the performance; he was too busy mulling over his decision to have Abdul Shareef assassinated before he could wreak havoc on his nation, too busy warring with his conscience and his God. He'd no idea then of what kind of torment that decision would rain down upon his house. But, tonight, Abbey was at his side, letting him know through song what she had also told him in her own words. She understood what he had done, why he had done it and had made peace with what had happened because of it. And, while he might never make peace with what had happened to her and to their daughters, he was able to look back now and know he had done the right the thing. " _And victorious in war shall be made glorious in peace._ " Victory had come at a price, a terrible price, but peace still reigned – his country was safe. Abbey had said to him the morning after seeing this play – with love and certainty in her voice "I know you did the right thing, Jed." And that meant the world to him. He bent his head toward her, seeing how she bit her lip against the emotions she was surely feeling as strongly as his own. "Thank you." 

She turned then, eyes shimmering and gave him a gentle smile. "You're most very welcome." 

**** 

Back inside, tables had been pushed aside and the grand ballroom was open for mingling. Jed and the Queen and Abbey and Prince Philip started the dancing. After that it was a whirl of partners. Abbey moved from Prince Charles to Hugh Grant to Michael Caine to Kevin Spacey, who was now running the Old Vic Theatre and finally, to Paul McCartney. As she danced with Paul and chatted with him, Abbey thought back with fondness on the young girl that she had been; the young girl that would have fainted at the prospect of actually meeting one of the Beatles let alone cute Paul. It seemed silly now, having known the real thing, but there was a definite sweetness in the moment for the girl she had been. 

Across the floor, Jed moved from the Duchess of Cornwall to Dame Judi Dench to Gwyneth Paltrow, who was living in London, then to Dame Helen Mirren, discussing with the actress her role in _Prime Suspect_ which he and Abbey both loved. They mingled with authors like John Le Carre whose cold war British spy thrillers were a Jed favorite and J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame as well as the current head of the London School of Economics, Sir Howard Davies, and Lord Dahrendorf, who had been its head when Jed was in graduate school. They chatted with business leaders like Richard Branson and members of the aristocracy and government. At one point, Jed caught up with Leo and the two friends gazed out over the magnificent ballroom at their staff laughing and dancing and mingling, 

"Do you believe this, Leo? Look at us – a Flynn, a McGarry, an O'Neill, a Cregg, a Ziegler, a Lyman – all of us here in Buckingham Palace." 

Leo nodded in agreement then stated drolly, "I'm surprised they opened the gates." 

"You know what I mean, Leo. The world has come a long way. Look at Nancy and Fitz. Fifty years ago they never would have been here. Why are you grinning at me?" 

"It's just so like you to ponder the historical significance of a moment like, this 'putting it into the broader scheme of things' rather than just enjoying it." 

"Pondering the historical significance, Leo, only makes me enjoy it more." Jed took a swallow from his glass of aged scotch, his eyes narrowing as they caught Abbey and Lord John Marbury on the dance floor. She had saved him a slow dance all right and he was using it to his advantage. He watched Abbey reach behind her to pull John's hands higher up on her back, only to watch him slide them back down toward her rear the moment she let go. "Excuse me, Leo, I have to go rescue my wife." 

Leo grinned. He'd been watching Abbey doing her damndest to restrain John's roaming hands and wondered how long it would take Jed to put an end to it. He should have known one look was all that it took. 

As inebriated as he was, Lord John did feel the harder than normal sharp tap on his shoulder. 

"Sod off. I'm dancing with the lady." He never turned to see who the interloper was; merely pulled Abbey closer enjoying the feel of the full breasts he so admired crushed to his chest. 

"John," Abbey protested, pushing at his shoulders. "Too close." 

"Right, right." Stumbling just a bit, he did back off, but as he did a wicked grin touched his face and his hands again slid down the small of her back hoping to slope over her rear. 

"John," Abbey spoke sternly as if she were talking to a recalcitrant three-year-old. "I'm going to have to ask you to keep your hands off my ass." 

"Aww...Abigail, it's such a pretty little ass. One squeeze? Ouch!" He gave a sharp intake of breath at the hard jabbing finger in his back. "I said sod o..." He turned, his sharp statement cut off when he looked into the steely eyes of Jed Bartlet. His look turned sheepish. 

"Well, uh, Mr. President, sorry about that. Didn't know it was you." 

Jed's brow lifted toward Abbey at the reek of whiskey on John's breath and she gave him a little smile of acknowledgement. "Yes, well, you know in some countries, it's considered rude to discuss the pretty little ass of another man's wife." 

John grinned remembering Abbey's birthday party when the object of his lust had been her breasts. "Really?" 

"Yes, really. And America is one of them. So, if you'll excuse me, it's time for us to call it a night." The Queen and Prince Philip had left right after opening the dancing. 

"Yes, well, of course. Abigail, it was a pleasure." 

Abbey nodded and chuckled against Jed's shoulder as he led her off the dance floor to leave the room. 

"It's not funny, Abbey. If that were any other guy on the planet, you would have wanted to castrate him for pawing you like that." 

"You're right," she admitted. "But it wasn't any other guy, it was John. And you know damn well he's just a harmless eccentric." 

"Eccentric anyway," he grumbled, "I'm not so sure about harmless." 

"I assure you, he is. He's very much the gentleman." 

"Gentleman don't grope." Jed wasn't giving an inch. 

"You're right. But they do stop when they're asked to stop. He's just teasing, Jed, flirting. It's just the way that he is." 

Jed pulled back to look down into her eyes. As a woman who had been the subject of male sexual violence, he knew that she had a sixth sense about these things. That she knew when to be frightened, when to be flattered, and when just to be amused. 

"Well, maybe he does stop, but I can guarantee you that if you didn't tell him to stop, he'd have you in bed with your skirts tossed up faster than you can say 'your lordship'." 

"Probably, but that's the way it is here, Jed, at least among the aristocracy. The fact that people are married is not actually an impediment to other relationships. Married women play mistress for married men and married men have married mistresses. Look at Prince Charles and Camilla, they were both married and yet she was openly entertaining for him and spending weekends with him at the okay of her husband. As late as the time of Edward VII, it was a source of pride and stature for a man to have a wife who was mistress to the Prince or King." 

"Cold day in hell." 

"What?" 

"I was saying it would be a cold day in hell that I'd let you play mistress to ANY man – King, Prince, Duke, Tsar, whatever the fuck he wanted to call himself." Jed pushed the door open to their bedroom and they entered Abbey turning to him as soon as the door was shut. 

"Let me? You sound like the ghost of some long dead Tudor King. Since when do you own me?" 

"Oh, I own you all right." He stepped toward her with a dangerous gleam in his eye that sent a thrill of excitement up Abbey's spine. He forced her backward until she was pressed up against the wall then placed a hand on each side of her head not touching her, but trapping her with his torso. Then, with lips mere inches from her own, he told her in a voice both definite and seductive, "I own you heart, body, mind and soul." 

Abbey swallowed breathlessly. "You're awfully cocky." 

Jed took her hand, moving it to press into the tight bulge that was forming nicely against the fly of his tuxedo pants. "Yes, I am," he admitted, "And I'm assuming that was pun intended." 

"It wasn't." She cupped her hand over him, rubbing him gently, feeling him grow. "But I can see now that it should have been." 

Jed's hands moved to the pins in Abbey's hair, pulling them from the elegant coif. 

"Don't just throw those," she warned, knowing her husband's propensity for tossing things aside when his libido was in overdrive. "They're diamonds." 

Jed continued to pull at the pins, stuffing them in his pocket allowing the luxurious copper curls to tumble down in disarray spilling over her shoulders. He fisted his hands in the silky fragrant tresses and groaned softly. "I've been dying to do this all night long." His lips touched hers igniting a fire in the both of them that quickly blazed out of control. 

"The bed...NOW." Jed tugged at her hand leading her toward the big bed. 

"Jed," Abbey gasped as they fell onto the bed, one hand of Jed's clasped over her breast while his lips suckled on the soft flesh at her collarbone. "This is Buckingham Palace not a B&B. Let's not...break the bed." 

Jed gave a throaty laugh, his hand snaking its way up her thigh to close over the heat of her sex. "I'm not making any promises." Within minutes of his magic fingers going to work, Abbey wasn't asking for any. 

**** 

Waking in the dark of the night with a start, Aislinn sat up in bed rubbing her eyes, whimpering softly, not quite sure where she was. The fact that Nicholas was sleeping soundly beside her kept her from sobbing in all out panic, but she still climbed down from the bed, grasping her blankie and her doll tightly to her chest and walked tentatively to the door. She was still sniffling when she opened it. Her blinking watery eyes widened when she looked up at the strange man standing outside her bedroom. She inserted her thumb into her mouth, her brow furrowing the way that it did before an all out sob. 

"Hey, Aislinn, what are you doing up wandering the halls?" 

Sob averted, Aislinn smiled at the familiar face of her agent. "Mike!" She lifted her arms for him to pick her up which he did with a grin of affection. 

"You want me to get the nanny?" asked the palace guard who was used to the upbringing of young royals. Mike shook his head, used to the nocturnal wanderings of the President's children. 

"Naw, I know where this little cherub was going." 

"See my mommy and daddy," Aislinn said. 

"Yup, that's just what I thought." 

"I come too." Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Nicholas stumbled through the door toward the agent who lifted him up on the other hip. 

"Won't the President be mad?" the guard asked. 

Mike grinned back at the flabbergasted man with a child in each arm. "No, he's used to it." Across the vast living room, Mike approached the agents outside the Presidential bedroom. 

"You're going to want to knock," one said with a look that let Mike know exactly why he needed to knock. 

**** 

"I think I have to pinch myself. Did you ever, in your wildest dreams, ever think that we would someday end up making love inside Buckingham Palace?" Abbey lay against Jed's side, her fingertips playing with the hair on his chest. 

Jed pinched the flesh on the curve of her rear causing Abbey to giggle and slap at his hand. "Looks like you're really here," he said with a smile. "But in answer to your question, no, never in my wildest dreams. But then again, I never thought I'd make love to you in the White House either. Sometimes it seems so strange to me." 

"What does?" 

"The fact that there are men out there who have dreamt about being President since they were knee high to a grasshopper. Men who have planned their whole lives, their education, their marriages, their careers with that one goal in mind. And, here I am, a man who got asked to run on the back of a paper napkin being the guest of honor at a state dinner at Buckingham Palace. I..." 

The knock to the door stopped Jed in mid thought. "Yes?" 

The door opened just a crack. "Sir, Ma'am, I have two little wanderers out here wanting to see you." 

"Give us just a second." Abbey was already out of bed throwing on the first nightgown she could find in her drawer. 

"Forgot what it was like to have the kiddies around," Jed said while pulling on the sweats Abbey had tossed his way. 

"Mommy, we want to come IN!" Aislinn was impatient at being kept from her parents. 

"Okay, okay. Mike, you can let them in." Mike opened the door and Aislinn scampered across the room to clamber into the big bed, crossing over it on her hands and knees to plop down next to Jed. Nicholas, on the other hand, looked like a sleepwalker. His eyes heavy, he wavered drunkenly across the room toward his mother. 

"Did Aislinn wake you up?" Abbey put a hand on her son to lead him toward the bed. Nicholas nodded. 

"Do you have to go pee?" 

Nicholas nodded again and Abbey led the sleepy boy to the bathroom helping with his pajamas and with the mechanics of things while holding him steady as he started to fall asleep again while he went. 

"Mommy, I needs to go potty too." 

"Okay, hold on a minute." Abbey finished washing Nicky's hands then, because the potty seat was in the nursery bathroom, she helped Aislinn up on to the big seat holding on to her so she didn't fall in. When she was satisfied that there wouldn't be any accidents in the royal beds, she led the children back into the bedroom. 

"Everybody all set?" Jed asked, scooting over to allow Aislinn to climb back in next to him. 

"All set," Abbey yawned and kissed the top of Nicky's head while settling him in beside her in bed. "Just don't give them any water." She smiled as Nicholas stuck his thumb in his mouth and burrowed into her chest, his breath warm on her breasts the way it had been when he had fallen asleep nursing as a baby. Her arm swept around him holding him close and patting his back. While she murmured sweet nothings into his hair, her eyes met Jed's over his head. He was smiling at her while he stroked Aislinn's hair back off her forehead, tracing his fingertip over her nearly invisible pale brows. The honeymoon was really over. "Good night, Abbey," he mouthed. 

Abbey smiled and mouthed back at him, "Good night, Jed." 


	31. Summer of Us, The

"Daddy...Daddy...Daddy..." 

"Hmmm..." Jed had gone two weeks without being awakened by a child crawling over his sleeping body, all knees and elbows and hard heads, but his response was as automatic as it always was. He rolled to his side lifting a knee to protect his groin but didn't open his eyes, not even at the feel of something damp on his forearm. 

"Daddy...Daddy." The litany continued on, this time with fingers poking at his face, pulling at his lips to make him smile or frown which caused some muffled giggles and then finally lifting his eyelid so that he was blue eye to blue eye with his son. 

"Where's your mother?" he grumbled sleepily. 

"Right here enjoying the show." Abbey was seated across from the bed in her silk bathrobe smiling over the rim of her coffee mug as she watched her children try to awaken their father. He frowned seeing the white linen cart that held coffee and basket of muffins. 

"When did that come?" He turned to roll over but was stopped by Aislinn. 

"Wait, Daddy!" She held his forearm then peeled something from it. 

"About a half hour ago, while we were still sleeping." Abbey said. "Evidently they just walk right in here like they used to do at the White House before we put a stop to it." 

"Good thing we weren't..." 

"Jed!" Abbey's eyes widened with reproach nodding at the children. 

"I wasn't going to actually SAY it." 

"Say what, Daddy?" Nicholas asked. 

"Nothing. Would you pour me mug of that please?" Jed was never at his best first thing in the morning. 

"Look, Daddy, you're pretty." Jed gazed down at his arm. Evidently the dampness had been Aislinn making a temporary tattoo on his arm. 

"It's Awiel, just like me." She put out her own arm to show him the matching _Little Mermaid_ tattoo. Jed nodded, unfazed; he was after all the father of daughters and this was par for the course. He'd awakened with far worse over the years. 

"We could be twins." 

"No, Daddy, Nicky's my twin." 

"You're right, he is, my very literal daughter." Jed got to his feet and ruffled Aislinn's hair, his eyes falling on the cart with snort of derision. "Is that breakfast?" 

"No, this is not breakfast, Grumpy Gus. This is to tide you over until breakfast. I told the twins that we could all take a nice swim before we eat and before we have to leave for the zoo. She handed Jed his swimming trunks and a mug of steaming coffee. He nodded at her, ran his hand over his stubbly jaw then with a loud yawn, padded off toward the bathroom, the amused eyes of his wife following his form, admiring the way his boxer briefs molded to the rounded curve of his rear before turning her attention back to her children. 

"Okay, kiddos, mission one accomplished. Daddy is up and moving. Now it's time for mission two." 

"What's mission two?" 

"Mission two is getting both of you and myself into our swimsuits, so come on. Let's get the lead out." 

**** 

The indoor pool at Buckingham Palace was only a short walk down the hall from the Belgian Suite where they were staying. Abbey remembered reading once that Princess Diana had enjoyed swimming laps in the pool when she had stayed there and she swam quite a few of her own alternating between the different strokes to work different muscles. She added a few extra breast stroke laps as she always did having learned long ago during medical school that the breast stroke kept the breasts firm and high. It was a daily part of her arsenal in fighting gravity. Only when she was breathing heavy, muscles quivering with the sweet ache of a good workout, did she join her family in the shallow end where Jed was playing "Jaws" to the shrieking delight of their children. 

"Dah.....Dunh.....Dah.....Dunh...Dah..Dunh.Dadunhdadunhdadunh." 

"DAAAADDDDY!" Squeals pierced Abbey's eardrums as Jed grabbed a giggling Nicholas and tucked him under his arm to carry him away, the little boy pummeling at him with fists and legs. 

"Bet you can't catch me, Daddy," Aislinn taunted. 

"Oh yeah?" Jed turned threateningly, causing her to shriek and try to backpedal. 

"I'm gonna get you FIRST!" Abbey grabbed her daughter from behind lifting her up. Aislinn screamed with surprise, not having seen that her mother had stopped doing her laps. 

"No fair, Mommy. I didn't see you." 

"I know you didn't. That's why I attacked." She tickled the little girl. 

"Sir, Ma'am?" Fully clothed in de rigueur dark suit even in the heat and humidity of the pool area, Mike stepped up to the edge. "Agent Butterfield wanted me to tell you that it's eight o'clock." 

"Thank you, Mike. We'll be out in a minute." 

**** 

"Listen to this." Having showered upon his return, Jed sat at the breakfast table fully clothed and reading the newspaper while Abbey was trying to get the kids to finish their scrambled eggs. He was reading an account of the State Banquet and had just gotten to the part where they were describing how beautiful Abbey had looked. "The First Lady has a slender hour glass figure and is very toned and fit. She works out regularly and has said that she uses a regimen of yoga, Pilates and even some kickboxing, as well swimming every day in the White House pool, enjoying vigorous hikes in the wilderness, and horseback riding whenever possible." 

Abbey looked up from wiping Aislinn's mouth. "So?" 

"So? I don't see any discussion in here about MY exercise regimen." 

"Jed, you actually have to HAVE an exercise regimen to discuss it." 

"Hey, I went swimming this morning." 

"Playing Jaws the shark and tossing the children in the air doesn't count." 

"I LIKE it when Daddy plays Jaws." Nicholas put his cup of milk down wiping his mouth with the back of his arm. 

Jed winked at his loyal son. "That's my boy." 

"Use your napkin, Nicholas, not your arm," Abbey admonished. 

"Me too, Daddy. You're the bestest Jaws eber." Aislinn picked up her napkin as her mother had requested and proceeded to smudge oatmeal across her cheek with it. 

Jed bent his head in gratitude toward his daughter and took another napkin, dipping it first in water to wipe off the mess she'd made on her face. "I thank you, Sunshine." 

"Mommy, OW! Stop it!" Aislinn's grin faded as Abbey began to brush her tangled curls. 

"Aislinn, sit still. I need to brush your hair." 

"But you is HURTING me." 

"I'm sorry, but if you'll sit still I won't hurt you. Now do you want a ponytail or pigtails?" 

Aislinn thought for a moment. "I want pig tails." 

"Pig tails it is then." 

**** 

"You sure I can't just stay out here?" Abbey wrinkled her nose as the family approached the Reptile House. 

"No, Mommy, you gots to come inside with us." Nicholas grabbed his mother's hand and tugged her enthusiastically toward the house. The zoologist who was giving them a tour of the London Zoo stopped and turned to Abbey. 

"We do have one of the largest selections of venomous snakes in the United Kingdom," he told her. Abbey regarded the man with a raised brow. 

"That isn't exactly a selling point." Her sarcasm was lost on her daughter who moved to take her other hand. 

"Don't worry, Mommy. Daddy said the snakes is behind glass so they can't bite us." 

"Oh all right, all right, let's go." Abbey let the children lead her into the big house. She was staring intently at a glass case that held a swaying cobra, her brow furrowed and eyes narrowed when something bit her sharply on the butt. She shrieked and spun around her hand going to heart. 

"Gotcha." A chuckling Jed showed her the fingers he had used to pinch her. 

"You bastard," she hissed, hitting him on the shoulder with her palm. "You scared the hell out of me." 

"I know," his chuckle grew louder. 

"What is it with you and reptile houses?" 

"I can't help myself. There are so few things that you're afraid of, I have to take my opportunities where they come." 

"Mommy, is you okay?" Aislinn poked her head around the corner having heard her mother's shriek. 

"I'm fine, honey. Your daddy was just trying to be funny." 

"Okay." She disappeared to rejoin her brother at the lizard exhibit. 

"Not that he WAS, mind you." Abbey glared at him. "You are SO going to pay for that, Bartlet." 

"Yeah, yeah, promises, promises." 

"Daddy." Nicholas raced to his father knowing better than to approach his mother with this request. "Can we get a lizard?" 

Jed cast an interested look over his son's head toward Abbey who rolled her eyes at him with a firm "NO." 

**** 

If Jed had ever had any complaints with the American press, they were forgotten in the blitz of the Fleet Street furor at his visit. The reporters and TV cameras had been kept out of the zoo while the family had a private tour, however, as they approached the official part of the visit – opening the new North American exhibit, the frenzy was on. Shouting photographers and reporters were so loud and so invasive, they were scaring the children who hung back behind their parents. Jed spoke for a moment with CJ who made her way to the mass of swarming press being held back by a ropeline and the row of agents from the Secret Service and Scotland Yard and explained the situation. 

"Look," she told them. "You're all going to get your pictures, just lighten up a bit. There's no reason to scare the kids. You keep it up and the First Lady will take the children away and all you'll get is the President digging a hole." 

Chastised and not wanting to lose the opportunity for Bartlet children photos, things were toned done just a tad, at least until President Bartlet rolled up his shirtsleeves to dig a hole for the tree he would be planting at the exhibit entrance and through zoom lenses the photographers saw something that was much more than just the President digging a hole. They began snapping pictures like crazy while laughing and shouting out questions. 

"Sir, who is that on your arm!" 

"When did you get it, Sir!" 

"Why her and not your wife!" 

"Did you visit a tattoo parlor!" 

Jed frowned and cast the press contingent a puzzled look, not sure what they were talking about, but Abbey knew. Grinning broadly she leaned in to her husband. 

"Your arm," she said. 

Jed lifted his arm and saw Ariel of Little Mermaid fame sitting on a seashell tattooed on his arm. He'd still been more asleep than awake when Aislinn had put it on him and had completely forgotten about it. 

"It was a gift," he called out as he turned his attention back to digging the hole. 

"A gift from whom? Surely not her Majesty?" They were laughing now. 

"Surely not. A gift from my daughter Aislinn while I was sleeping this morning." 

"Do you like tattoos, Aislinn?" 

The American press had been warned from the moment of Jed Bartlet's election – and then again at the birth of his two youngest children – against directly talking to any of the President's children, but the British press was not quite so circumspect. Aislinn nodded bashfully and lifted the arm of her T-shirt to show them the matching tattoo before Abbey lifted her into her arms to keep them from exploiting her. It was such a hard balance, wanting desperately for the children to be part of their father's life and yet trying to protect them from that life as well. 

With the tree planted and the speeches made, the family moved back into the privacy of the zoo for a lunch that consisted of traditional fish and chips served on newspapers which they ate seated on a picnic table in the mild sun. When they were finished, it was back to the palace where the twins were put down for nap and their parents changed out of their casual touring the zoo clothes into more professional working attire. Jed – a sleek tailored Savile Row suit and Abbey – a fashionable silk blouse, slim fitting dove gray suede skirt and knee high black suede stiletto heeled boots. Sophisticated and sexy, they made an elegant pair. Once dressed, they were whisked away from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Palace for Jed to give a speech to a joint session of the British Parliament. 

As Jed entered the Lord's Chamber, going past the throne that was used when the monarch opened Parliament each session, it struck him just how many historical figures had stood just where he was about to stand. Great British statesmen, kings and queens, prime ministers and presidents from all over the world. It was a feeling he'd had each time he stood before Congress to give his State of the Union – a sense of living history, of walking in shadows and hopefully casting a few of his own. 

Seated in the middle of the ornate House of Lords, Abbey sat taking in her surroundings – the intricately carved golden ceilings and winged archways, the elegant chandeliers and plush red cushioned seats, the bewigged Lords and stained glass windows – all of which gave her that same sense of history that Jed had felt upon entering the room. Her heart swelling with pride and love, she watched her husband address the members of Parliament and assembled guests. She was seated next to Prime Minister Blair with former Prime Ministers John Major and Margaret Thatcher behind her, but her focus was entirely on Jed. She was mesmerized, as always by the way he was able to capture an audience and lift them to soaring heights. He silenced the chamber speaking with empathy for the families in London who had recently lost loved ones to terrorism and of his own family's scars from such "cowardly evil". He steeled their resolve with his pragmatism as he spoke of the commitment and cooperation that would be needed between nations to rid the world of such a scourge then lifted them to their feet with his rousing idealism as he stated with "where there is no hope, there is only hate. We MUST be that beacon of hope and only then can we change the forces of hate." 

It never got old for her. She never lost that strange surrealistic moment when she had to fight to reconcile the great man who stood before her, his voice brimming with power and certainty and humanity with her husband – the man whose physique she had been admiring this morning as he wandered the bedroom in his boxer briefs, who earlier in the day had been pinching her rear in the Reptile House, eating fish and chips off a newspaper with his children and who still sported a tattoo of the Little Mermaid on his arm under his elegant Savile Row suit. It was that last thought that caused the tender smile on her face that the television cameras caught with such alacrity. 

After the speech, the VIPs retired to the Prince's Chamber just outside the Lord's Chamber, milling about around the huge statue of Queen Victoria and under the paintings of the Tudor monarchs. Both Jed and Abbey were surrounded by the members and dignitaries that had been present. However, after sharing a few words with Margaret Thatcher, Abbey stepped back into a corner to take a breather and to savor this moment of her husband's success. She was watching him shake hands and accept congratulations when Leo stepped up beside her. 

"So, what do you think of our boy?" 

Abbey turned to him, "I think I'm so proud of him I could just burst with it." 

Leo nodded seeing that pride shining in her eyes. "He was born for this, Abbey. I told him once that he was going to raise houses, but I don't think even I ever imagined this." 

"Mrs. Landingham saw this," Abbey said wistfully. "She saw it when he was just a teenager. She told me once that she called him a 'Boy King'." 

Leo nodded, "Blessed with inspiration." 

"That he is," she agreed. "I've always known he was something special and now the world is getting to see that." Abbey's eyes remained on her husband knowing deep in her heart that she was witnessing something very special indeed on this trip to Ireland and Britain and with the upcoming trip to China looming on the horizon. It was the transformation of Jed Bartlet – charismatic and beloved American President to respected and revered international statesman. Raise houses? Her husband was going to change the world. 

**** 

"Mommy, I don't wanna go up there." 

Izzy had arrived at Westminster Palace with the two well-dressed Bartlet children and they now stood with their parents at the foot of the London Eye looking 443 feet up in the air at the Ferris Wheel-like apparatus. 

"You don't have to go if you don't want to," Abbey said. "But I think it's going to be a lot of fun." 

"Is you going up there?" 

"Yup. We can all go up together – you, me, Daddy and Nicholas." 

Aislinn bit her lower lip wavering. She sure didn't want to be left out but that ride went so HIGH into the sky. 

"Aislinn, Leo said it's fun." Nicholas was giving his own looks of trepidation at the huge wheel but trying to put on a brave face. 

"It is fun," Leo Blair assured her. "I been on before." 

"How about if I pick you up and hold you real tight?" Jed offered. 

Aislinn looked from her mother, who was nodding encouragingly, to her father and finally acquiesced. Within minutes, the Bartlets and the Blairs were ensconced in the glass encased bullet shaped capsule rising high into the skyline of London. Nicholas and Leo wandered freely peering out over the city while Aislinn buried her face into her father's shoulder. However, it didn't take her long to realize that the slow moving non-swaying vestibule was not as scary as she thought it was going to be. She tentatively peered out past her father's shoulder and when he pointed out Buckingham Palace, she wiggled to be put down so she could explore the differing vantage points with the boys. 

While the children raced from side to side and back again, Tony and Cherie pointed out the many sights to the First Couple. Rising over 400 feet directly above the Thames River with a 360-degree view, they were able to see Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace and the sprawl of London. It took thirty minutes to complete the go around after which they were whisked off to the "Blue Kangaroo" a child's eatery with the added bonus of a play area. While it was a restaurant primarily for children, there was also a decidedly more grown up menu and the food was all organic. After explaining the choices on the menu to Aislinn and Nicholas, their parents urged them to tell the waitress what they wanted to eat. Since the kids rarely ate in restaurants, they knew this would be a good experience for them. 

"I want a cheeseburger with pickles," Nicholas said to the waitress. "And ketchup." 

"Would you like chips with that?" 

"No, I want fwench fwies not potato chips." 

The waitress smiled at the little boy from across the pond. "French Fries it is. And you, miss?" 

"I want noodles with butter." 

"Just butter? No sauce?" 

"No sauce. I don't like sauce." 

"Okay, then, no sauce on the noodles. And you, young man?" 

"I want cottage pie," Leo said. 

"And to drink?" 

"Milk?" Abbey looked to Cherie who nodded in agreement. "Milk all around," she said. 

The adults sipped their wine and chatted while the children dug into their meals. It didn't take long for the threesome to finish and they were soon scampering off to play making their way on all fours through the crawl through tunnels, climbing up the playhouse and throwing themselves into the pit of balls while their parents watched, talked and ate their own meals at leisure. 

When playtime was over and dessert eaten, it was back into the motorcade and they were off to the West End and a stage production of _Mary Poppins_ that the adults were sure would enthrall the children. They were not disappointed. The play was all Aislinn and Nicholas could talk about on the way back to the palace and they were so wound up it was hard to settle them in for baths before bed. 

**** 

Returning from her own evening engagement and making her way down the gilded halls of what was not "the palace" for her, but simply "home", Queen Elizabeth frowned at the faint sound of singing. As she approached The Belgian Suite, the singing grew louder so that she could make out the words and the voices, a woman – the First Lady – and little children lisping along with her with gusto. 

> " _Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down  
>  the medicine go down   
> the medicine go down   
> Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down   
> In a most delightful way._"   
>    ( _A Spoonful of Sugar_ by Richard and Roger Sherman)

Suddenly the door was flung open and a tiny little half-naked tornado raced out, screeching to a halt right in front of her. Elizabeth looked down with surprise into the shocked sea green eyes of Aislinn Bartlet. Wearing only a pair of purple _Sleeping Beauty_ underpants, her cheeks flushed a rosy hue and blond hair in damp ringlets, it was obvious she had just come from her bath. 

"Aislinn, get back here! You need to put on your nightgown." The president, disheveled, with sleeves rolled up to his elbows and wet splotches on his shirt came into the doorway carrying a small matching purple nightgown in his hands, his own blue eyes widening as he saw his little daughter face to face with the Queen. 

Faced with the startled dour woman that stood before her and wanting to please and not get in trouble, Aislinn did what she had seen almost all the women except her mother do. She dropped an awkward curtsy, stumbling a little to the side, which caused the Queens lips to twitch with amusement. 

"You need a little work on that," she said. "But, as you are an American, it can be forgiven." 

Not pleased with the performance of her curtsy, Aislinn was eager to show the woman something she could do very well. 

"I can do a somersault. Wanna see?" Without waiting for an answer, she bent at the waist, her little rear high in the air. She was in the process of rolling over when Abbey joined her frozen husband in the doorway, jaw dropping with horror at the sight of her panty clad daughter doing a somersault at the feet of the Queen of England. 

"Why are you just standing here?" she seethed. "Why didn't you stop her?" 

"I...I..." Jed was still at a loss and fighting the urge to burst into laughter, but Abbey sprung into action grabbing the nightgown from Jed and striding quickly to where her daughter was struggling back to her feet. 

"Okay, little miss show off, that's enough out of you." She firmly tugged the nightgown down over her daughter's head then turned to the Queen. "I'm terribly sorry, your Majesty. She likes to run around after her bath and got away from us." 

"Quite all right," the Queen said in that clipped no nonsense way she had of speaking. "She's a charming little girl." 

"Well, thank you." Like all mothers, Abbey was pleased to hear praise about her children, but she still worried the Queen was going to think she was a typical indulgent American mother raising a couple of hooligans. 

"She does, however, need a little work on her curtsy." With an amused grin, the Queen turned and proceeded down the hall. 

Abbey lifted Aislinn into her arms and moved back toward Jed. "She curtsied?" 

Jed grinned widely. "She did, albeit without the finesse of a Brit." 

"What's curtsy, Mumma?" 

Abbey did a little imitation and Aislinn's brow furrowed. "How come you doesn't curtsy." 

"Because I'm not a British subject, I'm American." 

"Am I 'Merican?" 

"You sure are." 

"Then I don't gots to curtsy." 

"Nope." 

"Good." Aislinn's nose wrinkled. "I didn't like it. I almost falled down. But, I did a good somersault." 

"That you did, pumpkin pie." Jed tweaked her nose. 

"How many more days here?" Abbey sighed. "And do you think we could lock them in the dungeon until we go home?" 

"Who's counting? And no, I don't even know if they have a dungeon. I believe they'd be hidden in the Tower of London." 

"What's the Tower of Dunden?" Aislinn asked. 

"You don't want to know, baby girl," Jed's laughter followed his wife and daughter back into the bedroom. 


	32. Summer of Us, The

The next morning in London saw the Bartlet family going their separate ways. Jed was off with the Prime Minister, the Queen, Prince Philip and Prince Charles to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Westminster Abbey before meeting with leaders involved in alternative energy endeavors. Abbey, meanwhile, had a morning breakfast meeting with Princess Anne and the leaders of _Save the Children Fund_ and was then off with Nicholas and Aislinn to Harrods, the world famous department store, where she had spent many a day pushing baby Elizabeth around in her stroller. Of course back then she hadn't been trailed closely by an entire press contingent as she was today while on her way to the bookstore where she would be reading to a roomful of young children – including her own – and their excited mothers. 

After story time, there had been no way that she was going to miss the opportunity to hit the kids department and do a little school shopping. She quickly found herself having to shove aside the maternal "growing pains" that pricked at her like little darts while she was picking new outfits and having the fussing children try them on. Just thinking about the twins starting preschool created little pangs of separation anxiety in her heart as she contemplated the upcoming new phase in their lives. Slightly depressed, she led the kids from the children's department to the men's department, allowing them each to pick out a new tie to give Daddy for his upcoming birthday. Within moments, her humor had returned as she surveyed the choices that her offspring were going to inflict upon their doting father, knowing full well that he would wear each selection with pride, no matter how silly or ugly. 

The afternoon brought the family back together again at the Science Museum, a visit that turned out to be both interesting and enthralling for the whole family, something that was quite apparent when they returned to the Palace for tea with the Queen. At first, Her Majesty had been surprised when the Bartlets had accepted her invitation and shown up with their children, but if there was anything that she had been taught to do throughout her life, it was to put on a game face and keep that stiff upper lip. She wasn't used to being around young children and was, in fact, a trifle nervous in their presence. Her own children had been raised by the nanny in the aristocratic way which included the general rule of thumb that children should be seen and not heard. When she was home and not on any official engagement, she had an evening visit of no more than half an hour with her children and then they were taken off to bed. She didn't tuck her children in or read them bedtime stories or, God forbid, ever have them crawl into bed with her, which if courtier gossip rang true was such the case with the Bartlets. Then, by the time they were eight years old, just the time when her husband said they were starting to get interesting, they were off to boarding school. And yet, in spite of all that, she found herself relaxing, sipping her tea contentedly while the First Family of the United States drank the strawberry milkshakes that had been on the list of "likes" that had come from the Embassy. While they drank and nibbled off the tray of treats, the children chattered on about their visit to the Science Museum. 

"We gots to see SpongeBob," Nicholas said as he licked the clotted cream from his strawberry tart off his pinkie finger. 

"SpongeBob?" The Queen frowned. "I'm quite sure I don't know who that is." 

"He's a sponge and he lives underwater with Patrick Starfish and Squidward," Aislinn explained. 

"In Bikini Bottom." Nicholas licked again at his chubby little hand. "He sleeps in a pineapple." The Queen's brow furrowed in puzzlement. 

"It's a cartoon." Abbey bent forward to wipe her son's hand with a napkin then wrapped his tart in one to keep it from leaking onto him again. "They had a simulator at the museum that allowed the children to feel like they were at the bottom of the sea with the characters from the cartoon." 

"Ahh, well that makes sense now." 

"And we got SpongeBob T-shirts at the gift shop," Aislinn added. 

"Daddy and me gots the same SpongeBob undies, right, Daddy?" Nicholas looked to his father for affirmation. Both Abbey and Queen Elizabeth had to bite back smiles at the flush that worked its way up Jed Bartlet's neck to his face. 

"Yes, Nicholas," he muttered. 

Aislinn turned her bright little face toward the Queen. "I liked the gift shop. I got a jellyfish lamp and Nicky got a rocket and Mommy got Daddy something for his birthday but it's apposed to be a surpr..." Aislinn closed her mouth abruptly eyes widening as she turned to her parents with the realization that she had let the cat out of the bag. 

"I'm sorry, Mummy." Dejected, the little girl's chin fell to her chest eyes staring at the floor in shame. "I didn't mean to tell the secret." 

Abbey smiled tenderly and lifted her chin. "It's okay, you didn't tell him what it was." 

"I won't, Mama. I promise." Aislinn spoke with such heartfelt earnestness it made all the adults smile. 

"Mommy, more please." Nicholas held out his opened napkin full of crumbs toward Abbey. She gave him a nod of encouragement thankful that he had remembered his manners. 'Please' and 'Thank you' were big in the Bartlet house and while he might forget to use his napkin, he was pretty good about remembering to be polite. Still, she sighed at his robust appetite. "Honestly, I don't know where you put it all." 

"In my tummy, Mommy," he told her. "You said that's where the food goes." 

She chuckled. "Well, yes, you're right it does. You can have half a tart. We don't want tea to spoil your supper." She placed the pastry on his napkin. 

"Why you call it tea, Mommy?" Aislinn frowned at the cup and straw in her hand. "We isn't drinking tea." 

"That's what they call it here in England. It means something like a snack back home." 

Aislinn thought for a moment of the small afternoon snacks she and Nicholas were allowed when the woke from their naps then pronounced, "I like tea better, it's BIGGER." 

"I'm with you, kiddo," Jed winked. "Best thing about living in London was tea time." 

"Said the man who always thinks with his stomach." Abbey flashed him an affectionate grin that turned quickly to a rosy flush on her cheeks at the look he was giving her. A look that let her know that his stomach most certainly was NOT the ONLY part of his anatomy that he thought with. 

Later, after the children had filled the Queen with tales of _The Sharks_ , an IMAX theater production they had seen while at the museum, they were brought to their bedroom by Isabelle who was preparing them to go for a swim. In their own room, Abbey and Jed were dressing for an evening out at the theater. Clad only in the skimpy lacy panties that she favored and a matching black demi-cup bra that barely contained the swells of her full breasts, Abbey was standing in front of the closet preparing to pull out the dress she would be wearing that evening when she felt Jed's arm slip around her waist turning her toward him in one deft movement. 

"So, I've been thinking about neurobiotics." 

"Hmm..." She shook her head as if clearing it, then with a look of puzzlement glanced up into his eyes. What?" 

"Neurobiotics. You know that stuff in the near future they were talking about in the medical research section at the museum today. Being able to control a computer with the power of your mind or brain scans being able to reveal your thoughts." 

"You want to be able to control a computer with your mind?" 

"No, I was thinking more along the lines of the brain scan. It might be really helpful for men. You know, like when you women say you'll be ready in a minute, we could scan your brains and find that you're really thinking closer to an hour. It would keep us from getting frustrated." 

"Are you?" 

"Am I what?" 

"Getting frustrated." 

"Well, watching you walk around the room in your underwear will do it to me every time." 

Abbey gave a throaty laugh and slid her hands from the small of his back to fan over his buttocks. "I think you've learned by now that 'in a minute' rarely means 'in a minute'. Besides, I don't need neurobiotics to scan your brain. You think I couldn't read what your eyes were saying when I made that comment about you always thinking with your stomach?" 

Jed grinned. "Oh, I know that you knew. Your cheeks turn such a pretty little shade of pink when I catch you off guard like that." 

"I can't help it," she defended herself. "I can read you so well I assume that others can too, when in reality they have no idea of what is going on in that dirty little mind of yours." 

"Dirty, is it?" His grin broadened. "You weren't saying that last night when you were moaning my name over and over into my ear." He bent his head gently closing his teeth over her earlobe feeling her fingers clench on his rear in response. 

"Oh, hush." She tapped his butt. "Besides, that's different. I wasn't moaning your name like that in front of the Queen." 

"I should certainly hope not. Although it might give me that extra few kinky points to make us five star lovers instead of four." His lips moved from her ear down the delicate column of her throat causing goose bumps to break out over Abbey's skin with a shiver. 

"Jed." Meant in exasperation, his name came out as a sigh. Ignoring the hint of warning in her tone, he continued to kiss and nibble along the gentle curve where her neck met her shoulder. Her arousal growing, Abbey pushed gently at his shoulders needing to stop things before they went too far. Jed ignored that as well, his hands moving down to her hips and pulling her up tightly against him, a wicked little gleam in his eyes. 

"Can you read my mind now?" he asked. 

"I don't need to read your mind. I can feel your prick and sorry, but the answer is no. We don't have time." 

Jed glanced at his watch. "Sure we do. Just a little quickie." 

"It wouldn't be just a little quickie. I'd have to take another shower." She tried to turn out of his embrace but he was having none of that. With one arm around her waist, he reached for the bag on his bureau. 

"Not if I use one of these." He dug quickly into his shaving kit and pulled out a foil packet. 

"You brought condoms?" 

"What can I say, I'm a former Boy Scout. I always come prepared." He wiggled his eyebrows lasciviously as he always did when he made that pun. "Besides, I remember a certain trip abroad when SOMEONE forgot her birth control pills and figured I'd better make sure we don't run into that problem ever again. And," he traced a finger over her lace-covered nipple, "this way you don't get all messy." 

Abbey took the packet from him and ripped it open to see the familiar greenish piece of latex. 

"I thought you were saving these for special occasions, like St. Patrick's Day." It had tickled Jed's fancy to cover his penis in Irish green on the holiday. Irish to the root he had said. 

"I can get more. I have a dealer now." 

"Really?" Abbey cocked a brow as she toyed with the rubber. "Josh?" 

Jed's lips twitched. "Who else? Now are you going to keep playing with that thing or put it where it belongs." 

"Oh, put it where it belongs of course." She pulled his pants and his boxers down his hips and after a few strokes of her tongue to firm him up to where she wanted him, she slowly – agonizingly slowly in Jed's opinion – sheathed him. Trailing her fingers up his belly and chest, she stood and before she had any thoughts of moving toward the bed, Jed was pressing her up against the wall – his lips on hers, hard and insistent, demanding entry for his tongue and urging within her the mounting passionate response that had begun when he nuzzled her throat. She moaned against his lips when his hands found her breasts cupping and kneading them and she shoved her pelvis hard against his erection in a move that let him know she was just as ready for it as him. He immediately moved to yank her panties down her hips. Quickie it was to be. She lifted her left leg up to curl around his hip, her heel digging into the small of his back as he took the opportunity to thrust forcefully within her. Abbey's soft gasp turned to a groan as her own hips thrust forward to meet Jed's, surge for surge. A couple minutes was all it took to send them both over the edge into quick but powerful climaxes – Jed's face buried in Abbey's hair, Abbey's mouth latched to his shoulder. With limbs shaking from exertion and orgasm, Jed led her by the hand toward the bed and they both laid back to catch their breath. It was Jed who moved first, rolling onto his side and propping himself up on his elbow. eyes still dancing with devilment. 

"See." His hand moved to cover the springy curls between her thighs then patted her on the hip. "None the worse for the wear." 

Abbey's eyes narrowed at having her flanks patted like a horse and her hand reached out to cover his bare, now limp, member. He was sticky from the lubricant in the condom and his own semen. "I can't say the same for you. It was a nice ride but you better hurry and wash up before we leave. I'm going to be ready in just a minute." 

"I'm sure I'll have the time," he teased and bent to kiss her, speaking against her lips. "After all you did just admit to me tonight that a minute is never really a minute." 

"I believe I used the word rarely. And isn't it amazing how your remember everything that I say when it works to your benefit." 

"Isn't it though." He grinned and hopped to his feet heading to the bathroom with a spring in his step and a whistle on his lips. 

**** 

The Bartlets had always enjoyed spending an evening at the theater. They had been frequent visitors to Tremont Street, Boston's theater district, and when in New York City, they often tried to catch Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. Some of their favorite nights in Washington were spent at productions at the Kennedy Center. And, in London, it was the West End that held a plethora of stage entertainment. When they had lived in the city, going to plays had been a treat they had splurged on every so often and on subsequent visits to London, they always made sure to hit a few West End productions whenever possible. This night was not any different, other than the fact that they had the most VIP of box seats. They spent the evening at the Old Vic enjoying the American musical _Wicked_ and were then off for an after theater meal – their earlier tea having worn off long ago. 

"Rules" was London's oldest restaurant, having been opened by Thomas Rule in 1798. Today it combined the feel of Old England with more modern touches such as a large portrait of Margaret Thatcher as the dragon lady. The restaurant had fed famous luminaries from Charles Dickens to Charlie Chaplin and as Abbey and Jed entered, they both fed off the sense of history and coziness. There were vibrant yellow walls covered in portraits, dark oak beams, gilt mirrors and heavy deep red drapes held back with golden braided ties. They were led, as Abbey had requested, to the Greene room so named for Graham Greene whose work Jed so admired. Greene had spent all his birthdays at Rules and had dined there whenever possible. Jed had read of the restaurant in the man's novels and had been looking forward to dining there but had been unaware that there was a private room named after him or that his wife had reserved it for their "party". 

"How did you find out about this room?" he asked her as they stood paused in front of a display of Greene's books and the tiny liquor bottles he had collected. 

"I do my homework. Oh, look, they have letters here from Graham to his sister." 

Jed pulled his glasses out of his inner pocket and began perusing. "Fascinating." He looked up over the rims of those glasses at Abbey who was smiling at him. 

"I did good, didn't I?" she asked, delight dancing across her features. 

"Very good." He bent to lightly kiss her cheek. 

It didn't take long for the room to fill with members of Jed's staff and the cast of the show whom they had invited to dine with them. Kevin Spacey, the artistic director of the Old Vic was present as well and everyone milled about with silver tankards of draught. Rules was known for its traditional English meals of fresh game and pudding and when they sat to eat, Abbey and Jed ordered the crown of hen pheasant with wild mushrooms and Madeira for two. Jed was pretty traditional when it came to his food likes and dislikes, simple steak and lobster being his favorites, but thanks to Abbey's food experimentations over the years, he was willing to try pretty much anything and Abbey enjoyed dining out with him in foreign countries. 

Across the table, Leo watched the couple both drinking from their tankards and leaning forward with animation to chat with the actors and actresses about their roles in the play. They were so alive, those two, all their emotions playing across their faces. Earlier, Jed had asked him if he was enjoying himself on the visit and he had been puzzled by the question. Enjoy? In spite of all the pomp and circumstance, this was a business trip. And yet, THEY were enjoying themselves – Jed laughing that great belly laugh and Abbey's nose wrinkling cutely as she smiled at something someone said to her. Yes, there had been meetings and speeches and yet somehow the First Couple had managed to reach out for the essence of London. They had embraced touring the Palace listening to its history and taking in the famous pieces of artwork that adorned the walls while he had been impatient and itching to get into the afternoon meetings. They had done their mingling, given their toasts at the State Banquet but while he was holed up in a corner with Josh talking about the next days events, Jed was dancing across the floor with Abbey in his arms. They had moved from the history and pomp of an address to Parliament in Westminster Palace to the modernity of the London Eye. They had toured the London Zoo in jeans, munching on fish and chips, and after a day of meetings, they had brought out the evening clothes to take in a night at the theater able to converse with actors and actresses as well as kings and queens. 

Jed had said to him once that he needed to learn how to have balance in his life or he was never going to be happy. Work. Work was what made him happy. But, now he thought about what Jed had asked. "Are you having a good time?" When was the last time he'd had a really good time? Sadly, he couldn't even remember the last time he'd worried about such a thing, never mind had one. When he returned to Washington, he would remember the meetings and the talks with the members of government; he would remember meeting the Queen, but he would not have the sweet richness of the memories that his best friend and his wife were determined to make wherever they went in the world. 

**** 

"So, these are the famous twins I've heard so much about." A well dressed, polished man stood as the Bartlets, still dressed in their Sunday finery, entered the purposely empty pub. They had attended Mass earlier that morning with the Blairs at Westminster Cathedral, the huge Byzantine styled basilica that was the heart of the Roman Catholic religion in England and Wales. The Eucharist had been celebrated by Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor with a special performance by the Westminster Choir and was about as different as night and day from the simple service they'd last attended at the small stone church in Donegal on cliff above the sea. 

"Colin." Abbey stepped forward into the outstretched arms of the man then stood back to survey him. He was thin, but then he'd always been on the thin side, with fine boned aristocratic features and big dark eyes. And, other than the fact that there were a few more lines on the face and his dark hair was now salt and pepper, he hadn't changed a bit. An older version of Rupert Everett. He was smiling at her now a little twinkle in his eye. 

"Abbey. You're still as lovely as you were the day your husband carried you through the threshold into your new flat." 

"And nearly broke my ankle bashing it into the door jamb," she laughed. 

"Hey, that's slander." Jed stepped forward with a grin and an outstretched hand. "Colin." 

"Jed." Colin shook his hand then looked askance. "Is it all right to call you Jed or should I call you Mr. President?" 

"You can call me Jed. We aren't in the Oval Office. We do go back a long time." Colin and his partner Gerard were the first friends he and Abbey had made in London. They had also been their neighbors. 

"So, NOW can I meet the famous Bartlet twins?" Colin was smiling at the two children. Nicholas and Aislinn were hanging back clutching stuffed animals and sucking on fingers while they watched their parents greet the stranger. 

"Of course." Abbey lifted Nicholas but as she tried to introduce him he turned shyly into her burying his face in her chest. 

"Ahh...playing bashful," Colin nodded. "Your sister used to do that." 

Intrigued, Nicholas turned his face from his mother's chest but was still unwilling to look at the man. "Azlinn?" he asked. 

"No, Elizabeth." 

"You know 'Lizabeth?" 

"I used to know her very well." Colin's face softened at the memory of the beautiful baby girl with her mother's strawberry curls and her daddy's brilliant blue eyes. The entire building had been wrapped around the finger of their youngest tenant and Miss Elizabeth Anne Bartlet had known it. "She was a most extraordinary baby and little girl. It was a very sad day indeed when your parents moved back home. I think she was just about your age when they left." 

"She was," Abbey said. "You were all so good with her. It was like she had a house full of uncles and aunts and grandparents." 

"We loved her." It was a simple statement but spoken with profound truth. Watching the tiny baby nursing at Abbey's breast, cheering her on with her parents when she learned to crawl and to walk and when she said her first word, helping out with her baths and her meals and taking her to the petting zoo at the park had all had been the closest that he had ever come to having child. Of participating in the life of a child. 

"I brought pictures. You can keep them." Abbey handed him pictures of Elizabeth and her family as well as Ellie and Zoey whom he had met but did not have quite such a connection. 

"She's lovely," Colin sighed looking down at the auburn haired beauty Elizabeth had become. He hadn't seen her since her wedding. "And her daughter favors you both." 

"But she has my eyes," Jed interjected making sure his stamp on genetics had been noticed. 

"Well, yes, she does," Colin admitted, then looked across the table to where Abbey was belting the children into booster seats and setting them up with coloring books and crayons. "And no chance of denying parentage on those two. They are definitely Bartlets." 

"Course they are," Jed beamed with satisfaction, "unless there's something my wife neglected to tell me." 

Abbey rolled her eyes at him and shook her head. She took a seat next to Colin and pulled his hand into hers, squeezing the long tapered fingers that made him a first violin seat in the London Symphony. 

"I'm so sorry about Gerard. I'm sorry we couldn't get over here for the funeral." 

Colin sighed sadly. "Yes, well, I understood. You couldn't exactly skip your own inauguration." Gerard had died the week before Jed's inauguration in '99. "He put up a good fight, a long fight, but it got him in the end." 

Abbey nodded. "But you're okay?" Her voice held a hint of surprise since Gerard had died of AIDS and he and Colin had been lovers – more than lovers – partners sharing their lives the same way she and Jed did only without the church, the certificate, and the rings. They were the first gay people or at least openly gay people that they had ever met. However, after a little discomfort, especially on Jed's part, stereotypes had been dismissed and they had all four became fast and close friends. 

"Yes." 

Colin could see the question in both Bartlets' eyes. They knew how AIDS was spread. How had Gerard gotten it and not him? 

"I guess it's time to tell you the whole truth," he sighed. As he opened his mouth to begin, his eyes welled with tears. 

"You don't have to tell us anything. It's not our business," Jed said. 

"No, no it's okay. You're my friends. You were his friends. You deserve the truth. The truth is, Gerard went home to France on a vacation alone. He was having a bit of a midlife crisis or at least that's what he said. He went to some gay bars in Paris had a couple of one night stands...and well...he got infected." 

"Oh, no." Abbey shook her head with dismay. "How could he? I mean having the flings was bad enough but to risk his LIFE by not using a condom." 

"I know. Sometimes I get so angry I just want to strike out but I can't because he's dead. He paid a terrible price for his actions but he took part of my heart with him." 

Abbey's hand settled back over her friend's stroking it tenderly. "How did you find out and how didn't you..." 

"Get it?" 

"Yes." 

"Well, when he returned from France...he...um...started using a condom. We never had before. We were monogamous and had been well before AIDS had come along. So, I knew. And, finally he admitted it. I can't tell you what it did to me. To know that he had betrayed me like that – had betrayed our love. He threw away twenty-five years of US for a few rolls between the sheets with younger men." 

Abbey shook her head, tears filling her eyes. "Men are pigs, Colin." She felt Jed's thigh tense against hers and turned quickly. "Not you of course, darling," she assured him. 

"Of course," he said wryly in a way that caused Colin to laugh through his tears. He knew just how devoted Jed was to his wife emotionally and physically. He and Gerard had lived next door to them and the walls had not exactly been thick. They were as passionate in bed as they were everywhere else. 

"So what did you do?" Abbey asked. 

"I tried to pretend it didn't happen, but I couldn't, not for long. I kept picturing him with the other men, wondering if I measured up, if it had been better with them than it was with me. So, I threw him out. It killed me, but it was killing me more to live with it." Both Abbey and Jed nodded on that one, knowing it would be just so. 

"Then he called me to tell me he had tested HIV positive. I got tested and I was fine. I'm okay because he was at least decent enough to try to protect me. When he got AIDS, when he was dying, he called me again. He had nowhere to turn. His parents had thrown him out their lives thirty-two years earlier when he had come out of the closet and told them he was in love with me and that we were moving in together. He had no siblings and our friends had sided with me in the break up. He was alone. I had a new man in my life but I couldn't let him die alone. I spoke with Reggie about it and while he wasn't happy, he understood why I had to take him in. I took care of him and nursed him until the day that he died in my arms." 

"Oh, Colin." Abbey's hand moved up to stroke over his cheek. 

"I seed a condom." 

Completely forgetting that the children were seated at the table with them and catching parts of the conversation, the three adults turned to stare at Nicholas who was innocently tearing the paper off his crayon, unaware of the stir his words had caused. Abbey frantically thought back to earlier in the day. There was no way the kids had seen them making love up against the wall, the door had been locked. However... She leaned forward hissing into Jed's ear. 

"Did you flush it like I said or throw it in the trash?" 

Colin bit his lip to keep from laughing as Jed turned to his wife whose face was now flushed a lovely shade of red. 

"I flushed it." 

"Nicky, honey, were did you see the...um...condom?" 

"'Member, Mommy?" He stopped coloring to look up at her. "'Member when I found it and Panda took it and runned away and everyone was yelling at her to drop it?" 

Abbey breathed a sigh of relief. He was referring to last Christmas or as Jed referred to it "The Christmas Condom Caper". "Oh yes, I do remember." 

Nicholas looked at the stranger with guileless eyes. "Mommy wouldn't let me play with it." 

"Really," Colin was grinning widely now. "I can't imagine why." 

"'Cause she said it's not a balloon." Nicholas answered the rhetorical question and was surprised when all three adults burst into laughter. He frowned thinking they were laughing at him and puffed out his chest with the need to defend himself. "It LOOKED like a balloon." 

"You're right, son, it does." Jed placated the boy with a ruffle of his hair then bent down to whisper to Abbey. "I didn't think I'd be having a condom talk with him for at least another few years." 

"Well," Abbey shrugged. "He's your son." 

"That he is. Now who's hungry?" 

"Me! Me! Me!" Both children bounced in their seats. 

"The King's Arms" was a small dark paneled 14th century pub on the banks of the Thames. It was in Chelsea just across the bridge from Battersea and only a ten minute walk from Abbey and Jed's flat. It had been their favorite pub and hang out. It was not a rough tavern and, in fact, it was a rather bohemian place filled with artists, musicians, aspiring writers, and students and as often as not the cigarette smoke was tinged with the faint hint of marijuana. Neither Jed nor Abbey partook in that part of the counter culture but it was all around them. For Abbey and Jed, a night at the pub was about getting out together, enjoying a meal and listening to good music. Covers of Jim Croce, America, Elton John, Rod Stewart, James Taylor, and Carly Simon – all the music of the early seventies. It was drinking beer and talk of war, politics, books and the future. It was laughing and playing darts. It was Abbey in hip huggers, platform shoes and peasant blouses hair falling wavy and loose all the way to the hips her pants hugged and Jed in bleached jeans and bright polyester shirts, his shaggy hair almost to his collarbone. It was arriving for lunch with Elizabeth after a morning spent pushing her stroller all along Cheyne Walk on the banks above the Thames and warming up in front of the fireplace on cold wet days. It was about friends and it was why they had wanted to lunch with Colin in this place where they'd shared so many good times. 

When lunch was finished, the motorcade made its way over the Albert Bridge to the house where Jed and Abbey had spent the first years of their marriage. The neighborhood had changed immensely since they'd lived there. Once a working class neighborhood of pensioners and students, it had been cleaned up and renovated into a smart upscale place to live. The three-story house where they had lived was directly across from Battersea Park and had been divided into apartments. Today, as the house was opened to them with the permission of the new owners, it was all one home again, and a fancy one at that. Still, Abbey and Jed were assaulted by memories as they stood at the foot of the staircase. Their landlords, the Tigglesworths, had taken up the bottom floor of the house. Abbey and Jed had lived on the second floor. The flat on the third floor had been vacant and was actually bigger but Jed, who had already known about Abbey's pregnancy when he had come to London to choose a flat, had been afraid of her climbing all those stairs as her pregnancy progressed and instead chose the smaller one on the second floor. At the top of the stairs on the second floor, Abbey looked briefly to her left. 

"The Old Man of the Sea," she smiled sadly. 

Jed was reminded of the old retired merchant marine captain that had lived in the flat across the hall from them. A bachelor all his many years, he had not been thrilled to find out a pregnant woman was moving in and sharing a bathroom with him. There had only been one bathroom on the second floor and they'd all shared it. "He was a crusty old bugger, wasn't he?" 

"He certainly was," Abbey chuckled. "But he had a good heart under all that bluster." 

"Yeah, between you and Elizabeth, you melted the old coot's heart." 

Abbey smiled remembering how she'd had to cart Elizabeth's bath toys back and forth from the apartment so as not to clutter the bathroom and irritate the old curmudgeon. And, how wordlessly one evening he had shown up while she was giving Elizabeth a bath and set down a plastic bin for the baby's toys, letting her know that it was okay with him to leave them there so she wouldn't have to carry Elizabeth and her toys to the bathroom every day. Her kiss to his cheek in appreciation had caused the man to turn beet-red and bluster terribly, but Abbey had noticed that each week there was a new mysterious bath toy in the bin. 

Straight ahead had been Colin and Gerard's apartment. Abbey's heart touched on Gerard with a pang. How many hours had she spent in his flat learning not only to cook but to cook gourmet style? Gerard had been a graduate of the Cordon Bleu and was an assistant chef at a midtown restaurant. When Abbey had despaired at ever cooking her husband a decent meal that didn't include eggs, he had taken pity on her and begun her training. He worked nights so he was home during the day when she was; and while Jed was studying or at the L.S.E. and she wasn't working at the bookstore, she learned to cook and learned to love to cook – that was a gift he had given her. Gerard. She shook her head sadly at the memory of her lost friend. 

"You okay?" Jed rubbed her arm. 

"Yeah, it's just...It's just so sad. And, it makes me so mad because it could have been prevented." 

"I know." His look turned a little sheepish. "Do you remember that day I came home from school and found you sprawled out on his couch in your bathrobe while he painted your toenails." 

Abbey giggled. "You were so jealous you couldn't see straight. As a matter of fact, I don't think you could see at all since you completely missed the hassock you tripped over on your way to punch his lights out." 

"I paid for my stupidity. Damn near broke my nose." 

"I thought you HAD broken it." He'd hit his nose on the end table when he tripped and the blood had gushed everywhere. 

"He couldn't believe you didn't know he was gay." 

"Well, YOU hadn't told me." 

"I hadn't known for sure until that day. I had my suspicions." 

"Well, I thought they were just roommates." 

"Because your mind wouldn't let you think otherwise." They moved down the hall to the enclosed stairwell that led to the third floor attic and turned to each other with grins. 

"Pippa!" they both stated at the same time. Pippa Scott an aspiring model/actress and part time groupie had lived on the third floor. Neither Jed nor Abbey knew exactly where Pippa got her money since she never seemed to work – and they didn't really want to know, if truth be told. A Marianne Faithfull wannabe, Pippa spent a lot of time across the river in Chelsea sleeping with musicians and hoping to meet and screw Mick Jagger who lived on Cheyne Walk. It was as much a goal for her as becoming a professor was for Jed or becoming a doctor was for Abbey. There was often a steady stream of new men up and down the staircase to the third floor and sometimes groups. At first, straight-laced Catholics that they were, Abbey and Jed had been shocked. But Pippa was bubbly and funny and so obviously completely amoral it was hard not to like her, and after a few months living underneath her, they used to just laugh about what kind of orgy might be going on over their heads. 

"I wonder whatever happened to her?" Jed pondered. They had kept in touch with the Tigglesworths and Colin and Gerard, and Captain Hawkley had passed away, but they had lost word on Pippa. Not a surprise considering that along with her amoral sex life she was also heavily into drugs. 

"I really don't know." But, Abbey did know and soon Jed would find out as well. 

A few steps later and they were in their old flat such as it were. Abbey stood for a moment with tears brimming in her eyes as the memories covered her like a precious cloak. An aching tenderness filled her chest as she remembered back to the new bride that she had been and the pride she had taken creating her first real nest. The cleaning and the painting. The shopping for curtains and rugs. The visits to second hand stores for furniture and accessories like vases for the flowers she adorned the place with. The tacking up and lying out of family pictures so the familiar faces would make them feel less like they were so far away from home. And lastly, the decorating of Elizabeth's nursery – if you could call it that. When they had first brought their new baby home, they had placed the bassinet and changing table right in their bedroom but as Elizabeth grew, they had turned the storage closet into a nursery complete with the _de rigueur_ pale pink walls Jed had painted himself. Abbey moved now to that closet. It was barely big enough for the crib and changing table they had bought at Harrods – no second hand store for Jed Bartlet's daughter, but it had given them a modicum of privacy as she got older. 

She made her way from the closet toward the window that overlooked Battersea Park. There was central heating now, but when she and Jed had lived here there was only an old electric heater that they had to continually put coins in to keep it running. This was where she used to nurse Elizabeth, sitting in her rocking chair in front of the heater looking out over the park and thinking just how lucky she was to have her little family. Even now her nipples tingled with the feel of a little mouth tugging away, not that it had been so long since they had been in use that way thanks to the two little towheads who were exploring each room wondering why Mommy and Daddy had brought them here. But back then it had all been so new, so awe inspiring and so scary. 

Jed placed his hands on Abbey's shoulders. "That damn heater," he said with a shake of his head. "What a pain in the ass. Remember those nights when we'd forgotten to stock up on change?" 

"I do," Abbey chuckled. "But those nights weren't so bad." Her mind wistfully touched on the two of them layered in warm flannel wrapped in each other's arms with their sweet sleeping baby in between them and extra quilts creating a warm cocoon. 

Jed smiled remembering what it had been like to wake up in the night hearing the soft voracious grunting and smacking noises Elizabeth emitted as she hungrily fed at Abbey's breast and the sound of Abbey humming softly to her while she fed her. His wife, his daughter. It seemed unbelievable to him at times to think that he could be that happy, that he could feel that much love. 

"No, they weren't," he agreed. 

Abbey's eyes fell to the corner where they'd placed Jed's desk. How many times had she watched him at that desk bent over a text studying or writing feverishly determined to get his thoughts on paper before they disappeared? How many times had she pretended to be reading a book when in reality she was watching him? Watching the way his brow furrowed over a problem, the way he gnawed at the eraser of his pencil while he contemplated a theory, the way his thick hair fell over his brow and parted at his nape exposing the vulnerable back of his neck and filling her with an urge to press her lips there. An urge that was both maternal and sexual. Sometimes she suppressed the urge; many times she did not. It still caused her heart to quicken to think of the way that he would turn to her with such a boyish smile of joy and the heat of desire in his eyes. It was a smile he still had for her today – her smile – the smile he never gave to anyone else. Lord, what joy and enthusiasm he had brought to their bed. His lovemaking as a man wed for three decades was more refined now but he had never lost that boyish joy and enthusiasm. 

"What are you thinking about?" Jed asked. 

"Remembering what it was like to be young and in love. When all we had on our minds was studying and having sex. About how we could never get enough of each other." 

"Speak for yourself, but I don't think youth has anything to do with it. I still can't get enough of you." 

She gave a soft laugh. "You know what I mean. It was just all so new and so beautiful and scary and oh Lord, if people had to live their lives roiling with the emotions of the first year of marriage, they'd be dead by thirty." 

Jed chuckled. "I suppose your right. It was wonderful while it lasted, but it's better now." 

She nodded. "I think so too." 

Jed took her hand and led her toward what had been their small kitchen. 

"Where are you taking me?" she asked. 

"I think you know...our place. Kids," he turned back to glance at the children who were seated on the couch looking through a picture book Abbey had brought, "you stay right where you are. We'll be right back in." 

The children nodded and Jed led Abbey out the window that led to the small fire escape – to the reason he had signed the lease on the flat in the first place. Facing back toward Chelsea, the balcony had afforded them beautiful views of the Albert Bridge, the winding river and to the right, Battersea Park and the lake. They had spent as much time as they could out there – when it wasn't raining. Abbey had decorated it with little plants and flowers along with a bistro table and two chairs and they had liked eating their meals out there. They had also enjoyed reading together in companionable silence sipping their coffee and enjoying the out of doors. And, many evenings they had just sat together holding hands, Abbey's head on Jed's shoulder – the lovely, sometimes haunting, sounds of Colin practicing his violin filling the night air and the romantic lights of the nighttime bridge twinkling away before them. The flat had been worth it for the view alone. 

Jed's arm snaked around Abbey's waist and he turned her gently to face him. His hand caressed her cheek reverently. "When I first saw you at that party at Notre Dame, I wanted you more than anything I've ever wanted in my life. You were the first dream that ever came true for me." 

Taken aback by the romantic declaration and seeing the faint red stain that rose up his neck, Abbey's eyes welled and she reached out to trace her finger over his bottom lip. "I've had a lot of big dreams come true for me and you were a part of every single one. But you, Jed Bartlet, gave me things I'd never even dreamed of." She pulled his head down to her, parting her lips to kiss him thinking of all the hats that she had worn in her life: wife, mother, student, doctor. Those were the hats she placed on her own head. But there were also the hats that Jed had placed there too, moving her from the academic world of being a college professor's wife to the political world of a Congressman, Governor and President's partner, switching faculty parties for fundraisers. However, while the roles might have changed through the years, there had been one thing that had been constant, one thing that had never changed and that she could always count on. She was Jed Bartlet's woman and always would be. And, oh what a ride it had been at his side. 

"Mommy!" Aislinn poked her head out the window with indignation. "Why is you kissing Daddy out there?" 

"Because I like kissing Daddy," Abbey smiled. 

Aislinn seemed to accept the answer and nonplussed continued on, "Me 'n Nicky want to color." 

"Okay, okay, we're coming back in. It's time to go." She started to climb back through the window but Jed grabbed her wrist turning it over so he could place his lips against the delicate skin that covered her pulse. 

"We'll pick this up later," he promised. Abbey winked in acknowledgement and climbed back into the kitchen. 

"Mommy, why is we here?" Nicky asked. He was clearly getting bored. 

"Because we wanted to visit this house. When Mommy and Daddy first got married, we lived here." 

"Did I live here?" 

"No, honey. You weren't even a gleam in your daddy's eye at that point. It was a long time ago." 

"You was alone?" 

"For a little while yes, and then Elizabeth was born and lived here when she was a little girl." 

"'Lizabeth was a little girl?" Nicky seemed surprised by the prospect. 

"Everyone was little boy or a little girl at one time," Jed explained. 

"Was you a little boy, Daddy?" Nicky was even MORE surprised at that prospect. 

"I most certainly was." 

"What did you look like?" 

Abbey lifted Nicholas and carried him down the hall. 

"Mommy, what is you DOING?" Nicholas kicked out at her wanting to get down. 

"Stop it. I'm going to show you what Daddy looked like." She lifted him up in front of a large mirror. 

"That's me," Nicholas said. 

"Yes it is, and you are what your daddy looked like when he was a little boy." 

"Like me?" 

"Yep. Just like you." She kissed the top of his head. 

Swallowing past the lump that had filled his throat, Jed joined her in front of the mirror. 

"Are you having fun going down memory lane?" Colin, who had been giving the First Couple some space to reminisce now joined them. 

"As a matter of fact we are." 

"Do you remember the day Elizabeth was born?" he asked. 

Abbey lifted a wry eyebrow his way. 

Colin's look turned sheepish. "Oh, yes, right, sorry." 

"It was one of the most incredible days of my life." Abbey's voice was soft with emotion. "It was the day I became a mother." 


	33. Summer of Us, The

_(Flashback, London 1973)_

"What's the matter, babe, still can't sleep?" Jed's hand reached out to stroke Abbey's shoulder. She had been tossing and turning with little sighs all night. It had been that way for weeks now. She was nine months pregnant and a week overdue and was incredibly uncomfortable and increasingly irritable. 

"No, I can't sleep," she snapped with frustration. "I lay on my back and I can hardly breathe, not to mention for some reason the baby doesn't like it and starts to squirm and batter me. I lay on my side and my back starts to ache. My skin is stretched so tight over my belly it feels like I'm going to pop and it itches like crazy. My nipples are all achy and tingly all the time and I feel like I have to pee all the time." 

Jed wrapped a sympathetic arm around her, one hand caressing the large mound of her belly, the other pressing firmly into the small of her back, rubbing into her just above her hips. It wasn't the first time he'd heard such complaints. 

"It isn't fair!" She slammed her fist into the bed. Jed could hear that there were tears in her voice now as she heavily rolled onto her back to face him with shiny eyes. "I should have had this baby a week ago. I'm beginning to think that it's never going to come out. That I'm gong to be pregnant forever." 

"Didn't your mother say that first babies often come late?" Jed continued to run his hand over her swollen belly feeling poking feet and elbows. It was no wonder she couldn't sleep. 

"Yes. But, I'm tired of being pregnant. I mean I've LOVED being pregnant, but now I'm just tired of it. Enough is enough." Her voice broke and Jed had to swallow past the lump in his throat as he wiped away the tear that trailed from the corner of her eye down toward her ear. 

Once her morning sickness was over, Abbey had fairly bloomed with pregnancy. She loved being pregnant, was fascinated by the emotional and physical intensity of it all, absorbed by every change in her body, by the pure joy of carrying and nurturing her child inside her and the fact that she was fulfilling her primal female function in life. There had been a spirituality in being pregnant that she had not expected. A feeling that she was doing exactly what she was put on this earth to do. But, now that she was overdue to have the child, her face was pale and there were gray smudges under her eyes attesting to her exhaustion. 

"I'm sorry, Abbey. I'm sorry this is so hard on you. I wish there was something I could do to help." 

Abbey was quiet for a moment and then she turned to him. "Maybe there is." 

"Hmmm?" 

She rolled onto her side running her fingers over the crisp hairs of his chest trailing down over his tight flat abdomen to toy with the band of his pajama bottoms. While he and Abbey had made love well into her eighth month, they had stopped when she had gotten so big that it was uncomfortable for her. The result being that the slightest touch approaching his groin caused his penis to rise with excitement. He broke away from her, embarrassed by his lack of control, wondering what kind of selfish man got a hard-on when his wife was laying beside him so obviously miserable. 

"Jed, don't..." 

"I can't help it, Abbey. You know he has a mind of his own." 

Abbey giggled softly. "I didn't mean that. I meant, don't turn away from me." She pressed her large abdomen against his back and reached around him to slip a hand inside his pajamas and stroke the turgid length of him. 

"Abbey..." He groaned deeply at the feel of her hand closing over him. "You don't have to..." 

"I'm not sure you're getting the picture here. I WANT you to make love to me." 

He turned to her his blue eyes wide. "You do? But I thought you were tired and uncomfortable?" 

"I am. But I'm more tired of BEING tired and uncomfortable. I was talking to Millie yesterday and she said that they were learning that sexual intercourse can actual induce labor." 

"Having sex can send you into labor? But...but all those times we were making love you said that it was okay, that it wouldn't cause a miscarriage or anything." 

"It WAS okay, Jed." She stroked the ridges of his tight abs soothingly. God, would there ever be a time when she could get enough of his firm masculine body? "It can only induce you if you're close to going anyway." 

"How?" 

"There's something called prostaglandin in semen. It's a hormone that actually causes the cervix to relax and thin out and, of course, orgasms create contractions that might help as well. It's worth a try. Jed, I'm tired of being pregnant. Make love to me. Help me." 

Jed bit his bottom lip and Abbey knew what he was thinking. They'd recently finished childbirth classes and she knew that he was extremely nervous about being in the delivery room, about watching her go through the birthing process. She lifted her hand, running it over his pectoral muscles, teasing his nipple as her lips trailed along his shoulder. "I know you're scared. I'm scared too, but I'm ready to have this baby." 

"What if I'm not?" He ran a hand over her brow pushing her hair back from her forehead. 

She smiled tenderly at him and took that hand kissing his palm. "Then you'll do it for me." 

Jed sighed and nodded. In spite of his fears, he would do it for her. Old Hickory, of course, had his own motivations. "You're sure it's safe?" 

"Yes. Just don't penetrate too deep or hard. It's sore up there. You have to be shallow and gentle." 

"As if I could be any other way." 

"You can, um...shut off the light if you'd like. I know I'm...I mean I know I don't look..." Abbey trailed off embarrassed. 

"Ssh..." Jed pressed his finger over her lips silencing her insecurities. "The light is going to stay on." He lifted her nightgown up and over her head. At a full nine months pregnant, Abbey was a ripe, lush, earth mother. Her belly rose rounded and swollen, the skin stretched tight. Her breasts were full, lush and heavy, the nipples darker than their normal rosy hue, the blue veins clearly visible beneath the milky white skin. He ran his fingers over her tight belly, tracing over the belly button that had moved from an innie to outie at the beginning of the month. He felt his child surge within her, watched with fascination as her belly moved, undulating like the waves on the ocean. He laid his hand against the surge and felt the tiny thrust of a foot or elbow. He bent his head trailing kisses all along where she carried his child. His child. Soon it would be here and he would be a father. Filled with a tender, deep, abiding love that went far beyond lust and that was completely caught up in this beautiful young woman, this mother of his child, he lifted his head and slipped her nipple into his mouth, suckling as soon their child would. 

Abbey moaned at the feeling of both pain and relief, urging him to suckle her harder and assuage the ache. His fingers had just moved between her thighs when he abruptly stopped and released her nipple. 

"What?" She frowned at his look of shock. 

"Something came out." 

Abbey glanced down at the clear drop of dew that lay on her nipple, her face flushing. "It's, um...colostrum, the stuff that comes in before my milk. It leaks sometimes." She crossed her arms over her breasts with embarrassment, tears stinging her eyes. She wanted so much to be sexy and alluring to him, and secreting colostrum did not, in her mind, fit that image. 

"Abbey, don't, sweetheart. You don't have to be embarrassed about anything. This is me. ME." He tapped his chest with his index finger. "I'm your husband and you never have to be embarrassed or ashamed with me. This," he gestured to her body, "is a miracle." 

Abbey nodded but she was clearly unconvinced. "You...um...don't have to...suck them anymore." 

Jed gently removed her arms from her breasts. "I know I don't have to, but I want to." He bent his head kissing the tiny bead from her nipple, then moved over to gently lave and suckle its twin. As another droplet was urged forth by his greedy lips, a shot of alarm raced through him and he gazed up her with a frown. 

"I'm not wasting it, am I? I mean this is the stuff that has all your immunities to pass on to our baby, right? I don't want to take it away if the baby is going to need it." 

Abbey smiled and ran her fingers through his hair. "It's okay. There's lots more where that came from. But, I'm going to have roll over. The baby's too heavy when I lay on my back." Abbey rolled onto her side away from Jed, curling herself into the letter C and relieving the stabbing pain at the small of her back while she prepared herself for Jed's lovemaking. She grabbed a pillow and stuffed it under her curled left knee to open herself for him and to support herself. 

His fears allayed, Jed rolled over grabbed a tube from the drawer in the nightstand then came back to her spooning her from behind, curving his body into hers. Gently he massaged the lubricant into Abbey's warm flesh. There might be a practical reason for their having sex but if this was going to be what brought their child forth, it was damn well going to be making love in the best sense of the word. Tenderly he kissed and nibbled along her shoulder and the curve of her neck, Abbey's breath got more ragged by the moment. And, when she began squirming and shoving her rear back against his erection, he took himself in hand and gently slid inside her. As uncomfortable as she had been, Abbey had not been sure that she would be able to be aroused but it had been easier than she would have thought. For a long while Jed kept still inside her, enjoying the soft purring noises that Abbey made as he gently trailed his fingertips over the tingling overly sensitive skin that stretched taut over her belly and breasts. Only when she urged him for more did he begin to tenderly make love to her, thrusting as she had asked, shallow but quickly, his lips pressed to her cheek murmuring nonsensical words of love and encouragement into her ear. His hands were cupped over the mound of her belly caressing and stroking her with a reverence that brought tears to her eyes and it didn't take long for her to give in to that arousal crying out as she plunged over the edge into climax. With that cry of pleasure and the contracting sheath that squeezed him, it was all Jed could do not to bury himself to his hilt and drive into her, but he grit his teeth against the urge and simply moved more quickly against her. When the point of no return was reached, when he knew he was about to come, he gently slid a couple inches deeper, exploding as close to her cervix as he dared, hoping he'd done the deed for her. They lay together for a few moments in silence letting this profound moment work its way into their hearts. Finally, Jed pressed a kiss to her shoulder. 

"Are you okay?" he asked. "How do you feel?" 

Abbey thought for a moment. "Hungry," she admitted. 

Jed laughed. She was ALWAYS hungry. "What would you like to eat?" 

"Coffee ice cream." 

"Coffee ice cream, it is." 

"And chocolate cookies." 

Jed grinned with a nod and, completely nude, he climbed out of bed and made his way to the kitchen returning with two big bowls of ice cream and the tin of cookies. They ate sitting naked under their sheets. After a while, Abbey noticed that Jed's eyes were riveted to her belly. 

"I'm not going to explode," she told him. "What are you looking at?" 

He shrugged. "I was just wondering, you know, if it worked. Are you feeling anything?" 

"There's some contracting." 

Jed's face blanched and he set down his bowl on the nightstand with a thud. 

Abbey took another big bite of the cookie she had dipped in her ice cream. "Don't panic. I always contract after I have an orgasm. It's normal." 

"Oh, okay." 

With their ice cream finished and nothing happening, they put their pajamas back on and each grabbed a book to read. After an hour or so with Jed jumping every time Abbey shifted her position, she turned to him. 

"I don't think anything's happening. You wanna check?" 

"Me?" His eyes blinked like an owl causing Abbey to giggle. 

"Well, I'd do it myself but my belly's a little too big for me to reach." 

"How? How would I check?" 

"Just put your fingers in me and rub them gently over my cervix, see if you feel it opening at all." 

"Abbey, I don't know what I'm feeling for," he protested. 

"Jed, you've had your fingers up there plenty of times. You've felt my cervix before, haven't you?" 

"Weell...yes." 

"So, just see if it feels any different." 

"Oh...all right. Should I?" He nodded to the tube of lubricant. 

"No, I think you used enough earlier, besides I'm still full of you." 

Gently, Jed slipped two fingers inside her and began to probe. How different it was when he wasn't trying to stimulate her. This was more clinical and yet so very intimate. Suddenly his hand stilled and he looked up at Abbey startled. "I feel it," he told her. 

"I'm dilating?" Abbey asked with excitement. 

"Well, no. At least I don't think so; it doesn't feel any different than it usually does. But...Abbey, I feel our baby. I mean I know I've felt it before but this is different from when I put my hand on your stomach. This is INSIDE you. I can feel the head; I can feel it moving against my fingers. I'm touching our baby right now." 

Abbey smiled and ran her fingers again through his thick tawny mane of hair. Feeling the baby move was nothing new to her. She'd felt the sweet deep fluttering of the quickening, that first moment when it suddenly truly hit her that she was carrying something alive and moving within her. She'd felt the strange breath stealing sensations of somersaulting, and the squirming, the kicks, the elbows and the hiccups. It had all been a part of her whether sleeping or awake whether at work or the market. Her body was being lived in and it was something she most certainly could not escape; and now, seeing the excitement on Jed's face, she was thrilled that she had been able to share just a little bit the great womanly mystery of it all with him. 

**** 

Abbey had a restless night. Her back was hurting; but then again her back was always hurting. She was a small woman and carrying a child had put tremendous pressure on her spine. She woke tired and irritable and frustrated that their lovemaking the night before had not resulted in her going into labor. To top matters off, she was out of her favorite chocolate covered cherries from Fortnum and Mason and she had an incredible craving for them. 

"I'll just run down to the market and pick some up for you," Jed said. 

"No, it's not the same. I really want the ones from Fortnum and Mason." Abbey pressed a hand into her side, into the bulge of her belly trying to ease the dull ache that seemed to settle there. Watching Abbey, Jed was not entirely sure he should be going anywhere. 

"Abbey, it'll take me forever to get to Fortnum and Mason." 

"I'm not going anywhere." Abbey continued to pace, as if she couldn't sit still. 

"You sure about that?" 

"Does it look like I'm having contractions?" 

"I don't know, Abigail. I've never seen a woman who was having contractions. You sure don't look comfortable." 

"I haven't been comfortable in over a month. I'm not having contractions. I'm just achy and my back is killing me. Please, Jed. I really want those cherries. Please, baby." 

Jed sighed and grabbed for his jacket. "Fine, but I want it duly noted that this is against my better judgment." 

"So noted." She kissed his cheek and sent him on his way. 

**** 

After Jed left, Abbey grew even more restless and edgy. She couldn't seem to sit still. She paced back and forth across the living room but she could only do that for so long. The baby had dropped and was so heavy in her pelvis and the pressure was so uncomfortable that she often felt the need to sit. However, when she sat, the pain in her back was more intense and the nagging feeling of menstrual cramping ran from her belly down her inner thighs to her knees. She just could not get comfortable. But, she had not experienced any sharp pains or what she would consider to be contractions so she didn't worry. 

She was in the bedroom standing beside the beautiful white bassinet, where their baby would sleep right next to their bed, folding and refolding the tiny newborn outfits that were part of the baby's layette when she felt the first sharp stabbing of pain. She gasped, her hand moving to her belly, but it was over almost as soon as she felt it. She made her way to the bathroom and swallowed tightly when she saw some pinkish blood. Could it be the bloody show she'd been anticipating? In that moment, she wished with all her heart that her mother here with her to advise her. Suddenly she felt very young and very scared. She made her way back to the living room intending to lie down for a few moments but just as she reached the couch, she felt a pain so deep and so strong she cried out nearly falling to her knees. 

In the hall outside her flat on his way to the bathroom, Gerard her soft cry and knocked on the door. 

"Abbey?" 

"Come in...PLEASE!" 

He opened the door, his eyes widening as he saw Abbey doubled over in agony, moaning and rocking back and forth, one hand grasping the couch. He was at her side in an instant. 

"Abbey? Good Christ, darling, are you in labor?" 

Abbey nodded through the tears of pain. "It worked...I don't believe it, it worked." 

"What worked?" He gently guided her to the couch helping her to sit. The contraction over Abbey relaxed. 

"Millie told me that having sex can bring on labor very late in a pregnancy. So Jed and I..." 

Gerard eyed her big belly skeptically. "You had sex?" 

"Yes, Gerard. There are ways." 

"Oh...I know. It's just–" 

"How could Jed want me when I'm as fat as cow?" she snapped. 

"No," Gerard smiled and tenderly took her hand. "You're beautiful, Abbey. You really have been radiant and glowing and all those terms that people use for pregnant ladies. I just thought maybe..." 

"Ohhh...here's another one..."Abbey's face scrunched with pain her arms closing over her belly as another contraction seized her body. Gerard's face went white. 

"What do I do? What do I do?" 

"Look at the time," Abbey ground out. "I have to...time the...contractions...see how far apart...they are..." 

"Shouldn't we get you to the hospital?" Gerard was panicking now; he'd never even been NEAR a woman in labor. 

"No, no, there's plenty of time. I'm not going anywhere...without Jed." 

"Where is Jed anyway? It's Christmas break he shouldn't be at school. Besides didn't he say he wasn't going to meet with his advisors until after the baby was born?" 

"He's not at school." Abbey gave him a sheepish look. "I sent him to Fortnum and Mason for chocolate covered cherries." Abbey spoke French very well but Gerard was cussing much too fast for her to catch anything more than the initial "Merde!" 

With the contraction ended, she released his hand and Gerard flew to the doorway yelling down the hall "COLIN! COLIN, get over here NOW!" 

"What's all the bloody ruckus," Captain Hawkley came sputtering out of his apartment. 

"Abbey's in labor!" 

"She's what?!" Captain Hawkley and Colin burst out in unison. 

"I need you to go to Fortnum and Mason." Gerard's attention was focused on Colin who was still in the process of dressing. 

"Shouldn't I be boiling water or something? Not running to the market." 

"I need you to go and find Jed. He's at Fortnum and Mason." 

"What's he..." Colin trailed off with a knowing smirk. Abbey's penchant for Fortnum and Mason chocolate covered cherries had had them all making special trips to the upscale market to keep her supplied and in good humor. "Well, shouldn't you call cab or an ambulance or something? We can meet you at the hospital." 

"She said she isn't going anywhere without Jed." Gerard's opinion on that was evident in his exasperation. 

Colin shook his head in agreement. "Women!" 

"Did I hear you say that Abbey's in labor" Plump Mrs. Tigglesworth huffed her way up the stairs just as a hung-over Pippa came down hers. 

"Yes, and she won't let us call an ambulance." 

"Well, right she is. First babies take a long time to come. Are you timing her contractions?" 

"I was...I uh...timed one." 

"GERARD!" Abbey cried out from inside the flat with another contraction. Gerard's knees went weak his face blanching. 

"Men." Mary shook her head at them then called out. "I'm coming, lovey. You just hold on." 

**** 

Jed was holding the boxes of cherries in his arms trying to decide how many to buy when Colin came rushing up to him in the aisle all out of breath. 

"Colin?" He frowned at his friend, his face tightening at the urgency he saw there. Limbs freezing, he KNEW. 

"It's Abbey?" 

"She's in labor." 

Jed dropped the armful of cherries right on the floor, then turned as if to run. 

"Wait!" Colin grasped his arm. "Mrs. Tigglesworth said it will be hours." 

"I still have to get back." 

"But, by the end of today, you're going to be a father, you should pick up some cigars." 

Jed swallowed tightly. He'd known the moment was coming, had lived with it for nine months, but now the day was here. He was going to be a father. That baby he'd felt inside Abbey last night was going to be very real, very soon. He was going to a father, a daddy. He was going to have the responsibility of caring and providing for another tiny human being. A helpless infant who was going to be completely dependent on him for protection and love. A wave of terror swamped him nearly driving him to his knees. And then he thought of her. Abbey. What was she feeling right now? Was she filled with this much fear? Probably more since she was going to have to bring forth that child into their lives. 

"Abbey," the word fell from his lips and his eyes moved to Colin's. He pulled out a few bills from his wallet and thrust them at the man. "You buy the cigars. I gotta go!" 

**** 

"Wow, this is so far out," Pippa watched with awe as Abbey's belly rose with a contraction and tightened fiercely. "You're really having a baby, Abbey." 

Gerard reached a hand out to touch. "It's so hard," he said with surprise. "Really hard." 

"Tell me... about it," Abbey bit out between the deep breathing technique she was using to try to relax during the pain. 

"You're doing fine, lovey," Mrs. Tigglesworth assured her as she massaged her tight belly. Mr. Tigglesworth was holding tightly to her hand. 

"Five minutes," said Captain Hawkley who, glad to be doing something useful, was timing the contractions. 

"We need to think about getting you to a hospital, darling." Mrs. Tigglesworth brushed the hair back off Abbey's brow. 

"No. No. I'm not going anywhere without Jed...Oh...Ohhhh..." She bent forward over her belly. "Where is Jed?" she cried. "I want Jed." 

Face ashen, hair askew, Jed entered the flat to see all the inhabitants of the building touching Abbey's belly, stroking her hair, holding her hand. He'd heard her desperate plea for him and approached the couch. "I'm here, Abbey. How are you?" 

Suddenly it was if no one else in the room existed. Abbey's eyes met Jed's connecting with intimacy and love and also – fear. Abbey reached a hand out to him eyes welling. "How am I? Oh, God, Jed, I'm scared to death." She'd put on a brave front with everyone else but with Jed she could admit her true feelings. "I know last night I said I was ready. But, now that it's happening I'm not so sure. What if I can't do it? What if it's all too awful? I'm really scared." 

Jed sat beside her on the couch and pulled her into his embrace shoving his own fears into the background. "You're going to do fine, babe." He stroked her silky hair and her back. "I'm going to be right there with you all the way. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise." 

Jed felt the contraction at the same time Abbey emitted a soft cry, her fingers digging into his back. Her whole belly shifted, surging and lifting and tightening to a rock hard mound against him. It was shocking – that much force – and it took him a moment to recover his wits. Then, as Abbey's hand moved to try to rub the pain away, he remembered what he was supposed to do from childbirth class. He rubbed his own hand over her granite hard clenching belly, soothing and comforting her. When it was over, a shaken and shaking Jed declared. "We need to call an ambulance." 

"Jed, we aren't calling an ambulance. Gerard called Dr. Fowler and he said to stay home until the contractions are five minutes apart." 

"How far apart are they?" 

"Five minutes," Captain Hawkley said. 

Jed stood. "Let's go." His tone brooked no arguments. It was amazing how such a young man could garner up such a power of authority. 

"You can take our car," Mr. Tigglesworth said, then thought the better of it after looking at the kids' faces. He knew that it wasn't just Abbey who was exhausted. Abbey had told Mary that for the past two weeks every time she got up to go to the bathroom in the night – which having been in Abbey's presence he knew had to be several times a night – Jed had wakened with the fear that she was going into labor and now he could see the boy's hands shaking and knew he was just a hairbreadths away from all out panic. 

"Actually, I think Mary and I will drive you." 

Mary nodded in approval. Jed cast them a grateful look with his thanks then went to the bedroom to get Abbey's bag. Since she was past her due date, it had been packed for the past couple of weeks. Along with her personal items: nightgowns, bathrobe, slippers, nursing bra, underwear, sanitary napkins, toothbrush, hairbrush, hair bands, books, crossword puzzles, the camera – there were also the Lamaze things needed for labor: tennis balls, massage lotion, chapstick and, of course, clothes and blankets for the baby after its arrival. He was checking everything over making sure they weren't forgetting anything on Abbey's list when she called out to him. 

"Don't forget BooBoo." BooBoo was the teddy bear that Jed had won for her at the Indiana State Fair when they were first dating and was to be her focal point. 

"I didn't forget BooBoo." Jed took the bear from his place of honor on their bureau and shoved it in Abbey's bag. George and Mary helped Abbey to her feet. She felt funny, wobbly and jelly legged, and she gratefully accepted Jed's arm. Leaning heavily on him, her face pale and big green eyes two pools of fear, Abbey left the flat to excited cheers of good luck promises to meet them at the hospital and pangs of sympathy. And yet, in spite of the fear there was excitement and anticipation. The next time she walked back into this house she would do so as a mother. 

**** 

"I KNEW we should have called an ambulance." Stuck in morning rush hour traffic, the trip to the Battersea hospital that should have taken them ten minutes was going on almost half an hour. Abbey was clutching Jed's hand and forearm crying out with the force of her contractions and his frustration was growing quite apparent. 

"It's okay, it's okay. The doctor said first babies take a long time." Abbey's eyes were closed as she concentrated on puffing her way through the pain. 

Jed had a growing sense of horror. If the pain was this bad for her now in the beginning, what was it going to be like hours from now? 

"Oh...George, HURRY! HURRY!" Abbey's fingers tore at Jed in a desperate attempt to abate the stabbing pain that was ripping through her middle. 

"I'm trying, duckie. You just hold on." 

"Maybe you should...squeeze your legs together," Jed suggested. 

Abbey glared. "If the baby wants to come out, squeezing my legs together isn't going to hold it in. Oh...ohh shit this HURTS." 

Jed felt himself grow clammy. There was no way on earth he wanted to deliver his baby in the back seat of a car. "Is it coming out?" 

"No, I don't think so but..." Abbey's eyes widened with shock and surprise. "Oh!" 

"Abbey?" Jed's heart began to race. "Abbey, what is it?" 

"I'm all wet." Her eyes flew to Jed's and she reached again for his hand. "I think maybe my water just broke. 

Feeling like he'd just had the wind knocked out of him, the car filling with the fecund scent of birthing fluid, Jed was silent for a moment then bellowed. "George, get us to the hospital, NOW!" 


	34. Summer of Us, The

  
Author's notes: In doing research into what giving birth was like in the early 70's when women who grew up in the 60's were turning away from the more clinical aspects of childbirth to bring it back to the more natural part of life that it had been when babies were born at home, I was surprised to find out just how hostile and against it some old school doctors and nurses were. It was far easier to deal with a mother that was knocked out cold or drugged to the gills than it was to help a woman work through the agony of her pains or to deal with her struggles. Birth had become a clinical process meant to be overcome rather than experienced and also to be over with as quickly and with as little mess or fuss as possible and that just wasn't the case with a more natural means of delivery. Also, many doctors - most of them men at this time - did not like being told by a mere woman how she wanted to deliver her baby and were very defensive about things. They also didn't like the idea of fathers or any others being in the delivery room for fear they would get in the way or not be able to \"handle\" it and they'd be stuck with another patient or simply because they felt no one else had any business in the room since it was their domain (nobody goes into surgery to watch an appendectomy, one doctor said). I read some horrible stories relating to this, but I obviously did not want to make Abbey's first birth horrific, merely clinical enough that she would later choose to have Ellie at home as home births became popular in the late 70's. So, my version of the arrogant doctor is as Sharon, who was a nurse around this time told me, \"quite tame\" compared to what was out there. This really was a transitional period and I tried to show that with the differences between Dr. Leighton and Dr. Fowler and with Tildy, the nurse/midwife. As Abbey's generation of doctors moved up through the ranks, natural childbirth became the norm and not the exception and the new birthing centers are a far cry from the sterile environment of the early 70's. Sorry to ramble on about this but I wanted to kind of give the historical background for this chapter because I know the experiences are far different now and have been since the early 80's. Also, I wanted to show how different each of Abbey's births were from the early 70's to 2001 (and yes to all of you who have been asking, I will do a flashback to Jed delivering Ellie in the blizzard in a future storyline when Ellie is married and pregnant). And lastly to any mothers out there who gave birth during this time, who had to fight for what we now take for granted, I want to send out a thank you for paving the way.  


* * *

Abbey lay alone in the examination room. Jed had been corralled upon arrival to fill out a myriad of forms and she had been wheeled into this room and examined by a nurse, her vitals taken and cervix checked. According to the nurse, she was at about three centimeters dilated and definitely in active labor. Looking at the sterile white walls and all the equipment, it was much more clinical than she had envisioned it to be. The people here were treating her as if she were ill rather than about to go through one of the greatest miracles of life. She was on the maternity ward and all around her she could hear the sounds of laboring women. At one particularly loud shriek of pain, her blood ran cold and she began to shake with nerves, her excitement about things beginning to wane. In spite of going through childbirth classes and the dozens of books she had read on the subject, she was not at all sure she was prepared for this. The fear of the unknown was insidious and only got worse as she was left alone. She wanted Jed. Where was Jed? She knew that not all doctors were in favor of fathers being present at the birth of their children but she swore to God, that if they tried to keep Jed away from her, she would walk right out and deliver the baby in the back of the Tigglesworths' car. 

Making his way down the hall, Jed heard the same awful keening moans and screams that Abbey was hearing and he too wondered if he was quite prepared. He felt the terrible urge to turn and walk the other way, to join some of the other fathers that had chosen to wait in the waiting room. He saw another man making his way down the hall toward his own wife's room and wondered if he had that same anxious look about him. The only thing that kept him from total panic was the thought of Abbey. She was counting on him. She was going to need him and this was going to be far worse for her than it was for him, so he was just going to have to buck it up and force himself to be strong for her. There was no way on earth that he was going to let her down and no way on earth that he was going to miss the excitement and joy of watching his son or his daughter enter the world. This was the biggest moment in his life and he wanted and needed to be a part of it. 

Curled on her side, Abbey's eyes were closed as she tried to concentrate on her breathing instead of the ever-increasing pain of the contractions just as she'd been taught in the birthing class. The pain moved from her back and tightened her belly in a vise grip causing her to moan softly. 

"Abbey, I'm here, sweetheart." Jed stood by the bed reaching a gentle hand out to brush the hair back off her forehead. Her eyes opened and for a moment Jed was frozen. In that instant, she looked more like a frightened little girl than his sassy lovely wife. Then a smile of pure gratitude lit her face and she was his Abbey again. She reached her hand out to him. 

"Thank God. I was beginning to think they weren't going to let you come in." 

"As if they could keep me away." He bent and kissed the tip of her nose. 

Abbey eyed him up and down in his green hospital scrubs, the smile still on her lips. "I can't believe you got to wear those before I did." 

"You like them, huh?" 

"Very sexy," she assured him. 

"I'm sure they will be on you too." 

Abbey's breathing suddenly quickened and her back arched, her hand grasping for his as she moved into the throes of another contraction. Jed's free hand reached out to rub her stomach in circles, the way he'd been taught. He could see clearly a tiny foot shoved against the thin skin at the top of her belly, as if their child wanted out any way he or she could make it. 

"That's it, baby, in through your nose, out through your mouth." Jed was caught up in coaching Abbey's breathing as the door to the room opened and an older man entered. It was Dr. Leighton, Dr. Fowler's partner. Abbey had never been examined by him and had only seen him once or twice in passing. He frowned upon seeing Jed. 

"Well, who do we have here?" 

"I'm Jed. Abbey's husband." 

The man nodded. "Oh, one of THOSE." The emphasis on the last word let them know exactly what he thought of men being at their wives side during childbirth. They had been warned in their classes that there were many old school doctors and nurses who were not enamored with the new growing trend of natural childbirth and of men or other family members or friends being present in the delivery room. 

Ignoring Jed completely and without any introductions, the man held his hands out to the nurse so she could squirt the gel on his gloved fingers. "I'm going to examine you now," he told Abbey with barely a glance. 

"But the nurse just did," Abbey protested. "She said I was three centimeters." 

"She was," the nurse agreed knowing how invasive the exam was, but also knowing her word was not likely to be taken by this man. 

The look the doctor gave Abbey let her know exactly what he thought of the nurse's calculations and without any preliminaries or warning, he spread her thighs and pushed his thick fingers into her. Having a pelvic at any time was not comfortable, but during active labor it was quite painful and when the doctor's probing fingers touched her cervix, Abbey stiffened and tried to pull away from him, a whimper working its way between her lips. The nurse had been far gentler in her exam. 

"Please do not move," the doctor ordered. 

Jed's face tightened and he had to fight the urge not to punch the guy in the face. "Do you have to be so rough with her?" he bit out. 

"Young man, I have been delivering babies for twenty-five years. I don't expect to be questioned." 

Taking pity on her and upset with the doctor, the nurse moved to Abbey's side taking her hand. "It will be over in just a minute, love. Take a deep breath in. Now blow it out. That's it... that's good. I know it's uncomfortable, but it's almost over." 

The doctor removed his fingers, examined his gloves and took them off, then grabbed her chart without a word. Abbey shoved her hospital gown back down over her belly and Jed lifted the lightweight blanket up to cover her. He knew he would have to get used to this but it was still disconcerting to see his wife's private parts exposed and probed, especially in such an impersonal manner. 

"Where is Dr. Fowler?" Abbey asked, thinking about her kind faced OB/GYN. Dr. Fowler had always treated her like a person not simply an orifice to be examined and he was behind the natural childbirth movement. She did not want this cold rough man delivering her baby. 

"He's doing a Caesarian," the doctor said abruptly. 

"Don't worry. He knows you're here," the nurse added patting her knee. 

The doctor nodded at the nurse. "You can move her into a labor room, she's dilating." 

"How many centimeters?" Abbey asked. 

Not stopping on his way out the door, the man muttered gruffly, "Three." and continued out the door. 

Grinning, Abbey turned to the kindly nurse. "I guess you were right." 

"I guess I was. By the way, I'm Nurse Daniels but you can call me Tildy." 

"Tildy? What's that short for?" Jed asked. 

"Matilda," she said. "I hate it. I'm far too young to be a Matilda. But, enough of that, let's get you into a labor room. You'll be a lot more comfortable in a real bed." 

"Will you be with me?" The hope in Abbey's voice caused the middle-aged woman to smile. 

"Most certainly. You won't be able to get rid of me. I just came on duty and I'm a nurse/midwife so I'll be with you throughout your labor and delivery even if it takes you longer than a typical nursing shift." Abbey visibly relaxed. Even if Dr. Dreadful ended up delivering her baby, at least she had a compassionate nurse at her side. 

**** 

Tildy watched the Bartlets with fascination. They were a young couple just out of college and this was their first baby. Abbey was only twenty-one and Jed twenty-two. However, they responded to each other with a respect and love that was far beyond their years. When they'd first moved into the labor room and Abbey was still contracting about every four to five minutes, they had worked on crossword puzzles together and chatted with excitement about what was going on inside her body. It was obvious that young Jed had done his homework, as he seemed to be well informed about the physiological steps of labor. Then, as Abbey began to tire, Jed had started to read to her. While he read, he gently rubbed massage lotion into her belly. 

There was something so peaceful and loving in watching them. Abbey's eyes were closed as she rested between the contractions listening to the deeply melodic sounds of her husband's voice. Then, knowing she was moving into a contraction by the way her belly tightened and swelled under his palm and her breathing changed, Jed would lay _Anna Karenina_ face down on the bed, take her hand and coach her through the contraction. 

"I don't care what he reads," Abbey told her when Tildy asked about the book. "I just love the sound of his voice." 

"That's not entirely true," Jed reminded her. "You did ban one book from the delivery room." 

Abbey nodded. " _A Farewell To Arms_." 

Tildy grimaced. "Quite right at that. No expectant mother should be reading that one." 

As the pains grew closer and stronger, Jed set the book aside completely but Abbey had wanted to continue hearing his voice. "Keep talking to me, Jed," she pleaded. "Oh, please keep talking to me." She seemed to truly draw strength from him. He told her jokes and stories and made her laugh and most of all he talked about what it was going to be like when they finally held their new baby in their arms and they were a real family. 

By six centimeters, Abbey's labor was increasingly difficult. Sweat had broken out on her brow and soft pained moans often accompanied her contractions. There was more activity in the room but she was oblivious to anything going on around her except for Jed. She lay on her side clutching his hand, never taking her eyes from his face, while he gently stroked her hair and her cheeks and wiped her brow with a cool cloth. He encouraged her through her contractions telling her how wonderful she was doing and how proud he was of her and when it was over, he always bent to kiss her forehead or the back of her hand as if thanking her for each pain she endured in bringing his child into the world. At times, with eyes still stinging with tears from the pain of a contraction, she wrapped an arm around his neck and held his face close to her for a few moments taking great comfort in his presence. There was an intimacy between them that spoke eloquently in Tildy's mind as to why husbands or partners should be allowed to labor along with their wives. It was teamwork at its very best and although that certainly was not always the case with the fathers who were present, it really was with this one. This young couple with their tenderness, trust, and love for each other moved her very much indeed. They were young and they were scared, but they were going to get through it together. 

Unfortunately, they did not move Dr. Leighton in the same way. When he walked into the labor room, he did not see a young woman struggling valiantly to make it through her labor and delivery in the most natural way possible. He saw a mere slip of a girl trying to tell him that what he had been doing all these years was wrong, a girl who thought she knew better than he did. A girl who was now foolishly clinging to her husband while she writhed in pain. 

"This is ridiculous," he told Tildy. "Give her a shot of morphine." 

"No!" Abbey was startled out of the fog of pain by the mention of the narcotic. "No, you aren't giving me any morphine." 

"I think I know what's best for you, Miss," he gazed down on her patronizingly. "There is no reason for you to have to deal with this kind of pain when relief may be had." 

Never one to hold back from revealing what she knew to be true, Abbey's green eyes shot fire. "It's MRS. And this isn't about me dealing with my PAIN; this is about YOU not wanting to have to deal with it. You want to give me morphine so I'll be completely out of it for the next few hours." 

"And what harm would there be in that? Wouldn't you like to wake up in a few hours and have this almost over with." 

"I want to experience MY birth and I don't want MY baby born with morphine in its system." 

"And what do you know of morphine. It's perfectly safe." 

"Abbey knows," Jed said firmly. "She was pre-med. in college and plans to be a doctor. And, she's read about a billion books on natural childbirth." 

The condescending look was back on the doctor's face and Abbey wanted to strike him. "It's not always safe and you should know that," she said. "If you give me morphine it will get into my baby's blood through the placenta, at best making him or her less aware at birth and at worst affecting the central nervous system and breathing. I'm not going to let you jeopardize...my...baby." Abbey's fingers tore into the blanket as she arched into another contraction. The doctor shook his head and turned back to Tildy. 

"Get the morphine." 

Abbey was frantic. "NO! You can't make me take it...I won't...Jed!" She was pleading now. "Don't let him do it! Please...don't let him do it!" 

Jed turned to the doctor with a steely look on his young face, the genial gentle boy gone. "You heard my wife. You are NOT giving her any morphine." 

"Son, you don't even belong in here." 

"That's YOUR opinion. But, I'm sure as hell glad that I AM here, because I am NOT going to let you give my wife anything that she doesn't want. We talked to Dr. Fowler about a natural childbirth and he had no problem with it at all. If you do, then that's YOUR problem but there is no way in hell that I'm going to stand by and let you drug her up with morphine just to make your life a little easier. If Abbey decides that she wants pain medication, we will come to YOU, until then, you leave her alone." 

Tildy had to fight to keep from jumping and cheering for this young couple who'd had the guts to confront the old bastard while so many others had been cowed by him and his like. After Dr. Leighton left the room in a huff, she grinned at them broadly. 

"Well done, you two, well done." 

**** 

"Oh...oh, Jed, it's not working anymore...it's not working! I can't DO THIS!" The muscles in Abbey's lower back tightened yet again moving to her abdomen and impaling her with an intensity of pain that was so sharp no matter what kind of breathing she attempted it didn't alleviate any of it. Tildy had announced that she was moving into transition and Abbey felt as if she had lost any control she might have had in keeping on top of the pain. Sweat ran freely down her face along with her tears and her soft whimpers and moans had become cries that stabbed at Jed's heart. Her eyes that had once been so expressive, showing excitement, fear, need, trust, love and vulnerability now only showed one thing – agony, pure unadulterated torturous agony as her body worked through the final couple of centimeters that would allow her baby to begin its descent into the birth canal. 

Jed, who for hours had been a calming force – reading to her, talking to her, teasing her – was shaken to his core. He'd never seen anyone in pain like this, let alone the woman he loved. He was doing everything that he could to help her – rubbing her back, her shoulders, her belly, her thighs, mopping her brow, feeding her ice chips, putting lip balm on her lips – but there was nothing he could do to ease her suffering. His face was pale and Tildy could see that his hands were shaking. It was time for a little interrupted intimacy and some professional calming. 

"You can do this, love. You ARE doing it," Tildy assured Abbey. "I know it's not easy. This is the hardest thing you're ever going to do in your life, but you CAN do it." 

Abbey shook her head negatively unable to speak at that moment. 

"I'll make a deal with you. You get through this and after your baby's here, I'll get you a nice big steak and kidney pie." 

"UGH!" The pain of the contraction compounded Abbey's groan of dismay. "NOT an incentive." Neither she nor Jed had succumbed yet to the eating of organs that was so prevalent in the British Isles. 

Tildy laughed. "Ahhh...you Yanks don't know what you're missing." 

Abbey exhaled harshly. "You can still...taste... the urine." 

"Well, then. How about something American? Cheeseburger? Can't get any more American than that." 

Abbey nodded. "With fries...and a chocolate MILKSHAKE!" The last word was cried out with the peak of the contraction. 

"Well all right then, let's get down to business." She turned to Jed. "Lift her right leg and let's make some room for her pelvis to open." Abbey was still on her side so Jed stood before her, sliding his arm under her knee and lifting it pulling it back toward her belly as Tildy instructed. 

Abbey was hardly paying attention to what they were doing. She was caught in red-hot waves of pain. "They won't stop...oh God, why won't they stop...please make them stop!" She was starting to panic now. How was she supposed to be able to do this? She couldn't even catch her breath anymore between contractions. They were longer now lasting a full minute and a half and only allowing her about thirty seconds before ripping into her again, so it seemed like there was no beginning and no end. Her world had shrunk to nothing but a hardening muscular pain that squeezed and clenched and impaled and forced her baby's head down to finish off those final centimeters and open her cervix completely. She fought against it wanting nothing more than to escape her tortured body. 

"Don't hold your breath, Abbey," Jed's voice broke and tears swam in his eyes. "Don't try to fight it." 

"I can't help it! It hurts!" she cried and clung fiercely to his hand. That hand was the only thing that kept her feeling that she was not completely alone. 

"I know...I know it hurts, sweetheart...You're doing so well, I'm so proud of you. You're amazing." 

Abbey exhaled and let her head fall back on the pillow with a groan. "It doesn't feel like I'm doing well at all...It hurts so fucking much," her voice broke and a tear trailed down her cheek. 

"I know...Are you sure you don't want something for the pain? It's okay if you do. Nobody's going to think any less of you. It doesn't have to be morphine." 

Abbey shook her head negatively. "No, I can do this...I know I can. Just stay with me." 

Jed gently pushed her sweat soaked hair off her forehead. "I'm not going anywhere." 

As Abbey's labor progressed, fingers examined her, probed inside her and along her belly, absorbent pads the nurses called chucks were removed and replaced from beneath her hips and the doctor and other nurses were in and out looking at her exposed genitals, but she was focused only on the pain and clinging tightly to Jed, feeling very strongly that as long as he were there with her nothing truly bad would happen. There was a safety in being in his arms that she had always felt. She was panting now, hard and fierce trying desperately to get the pain under control and feeling terribly lightheaded because of it. 

"Not so fast, honey." Tildy took her hand. "You've still got a ways to go and you're going to wear out if you keep panting like this. Not to mention we don't want you hyperventilating." 

"We'll save that for me," Jed teased, issuing forth the first smile from Abbey since she had moved into hard labor. 

"You hyperventilate?" Tildy asked. 

"Only at the sight of blood." 

Tildy glanced down at the bloodied chuck beneath Abbey's bottom. "Looks like you're doing just fine to me." 

Jed grinned, pleased that she had noticed. It had been a struggle at times. 

As she moved into full transition, Abbey suddenly began to complain of feeling like she was going to throw up. Tildy held a basin in front of her and Jed rubbed her back sympathetically while she retched with dry heaves. Tildy could see the young man's pain and frustration in the 'deer in the headlight' look in his eyes and reassuringly rubbed his shoulder. It was easy to forget at times how overwhelming something like this could be for someone who didn't witness it every day. 

"You're doing great too, Daddy," she assured him. Jed tried to smile but his face tightened as Abbey threw back her head and whimpered pitifully. 

"Can't we do something for her?" he pleaded. 

"She's doing fine. I know it seems strange to you but all of this is very normal. She's doing this very, very well." She looked down at Abbey into the young woman's flushed face. "You should be very proud of yourself, Abbey. You're a tough young lady doing this all without any pain medication." 

"I don't feel very...tough...Oh God...How much longer, Tildy? I want this over." 

"Won't be too much longer, transition is the shortest part of labor. Thank God, huh? This is the part that really leaves you knackered." She patted Abbey's hip. "You just keep thinking about that beautiful little baby you'll soon be holding in your arms. Do you have any names picked out?" 

"Elizabeth if it's a girl," Jed said. 

"Patrick if it's a boy..." Just as she spoke a giant wave of a contraction tightened Abbey's body with the huge overpowering and undeniable need to push. Without a word, she grabbed her knee yanking it up toward her belly and her face turned a deep red as she bore down going with the urge. The push ended with gut wrenching groan. 

"Wow, that was a really strong urge to push." Tildy moved quickly between Abbey's thighs. "Are you feeling a lot of pressure?" 

"Oh, God, yes. I have to push," Abbey gasped. 

"Well, hold on. Let's have a look here." 

On her side, Abbey still had her knee drawn toward her chest so that Tildy was able to see exactly what she was looking for. Jed glanced down at Abbey's bottom as well and he swallowed tightly. Her thighs were smeared with blood and her genitals were red and swollen and now bulging, although he didn't see anything that looked like a head yet. It couldn't be long now. Feeling a bit lightheaded himself, he moved back to Abbey's head, rubbing her shoulder sympathetically. He couldn't even imagine how much she was hurting right now. 

"Oh...Oh it's coming again...Can I push? Can I push? Oh I HAVE to push!" 

"Go ahead, Mummy," Tildy grinned. "You give us some nice long pushes and let's bring Elizabeth or Patrick into the world." 

Abbey rolled onto her back and without being told, instinctively grasped both knees in her hands and pulled them to her chest, her face turning deep crimson again as every muscle in her body bore down trying to expel the child from her womb. It was a ferocious impulse, undeniable and impossible to control and deep groans came from the back of her throat. Jed sat behind her allowing her to lean back against him for brief respites between the primal forces at work within her. He counted while she pushed, urged her to focus on BooBoo across the room, rubbed her shoulders and told her of all the wonderful times they were going to have once their baby was born. 

"That's it, Abbey," Tildy encouraged her. "Pull those knees right up to your chest and bear right down into your bottom. Won't be long now until you're a mommy." 

Abbey's only response was to grunt and push with her body's urges, listening to Jed count and only stopping when he stopped. Time had no meaning; her entire focus had turned inward, into the job that must be finished. 

"Well, well, would you look at this?" Tildy removed the warm compress that she had been pressing against Abbey's perineum and looked up at the couple with an encouraging smile. "I believe I'm catching a glimpse of baby Bartlet here:" 

Jed had been trying to avoid looking up into the mirror behind the nurse's head to keep from seeing what was happening to his wife. But now both he and Abbey looked up to see the bulge part just enough to see a tiny bit of their baby's head. Tildy pressed her fingers on each side of Abbey's vagina to give them a better view. "Looks like he or she is going to be fair," she said, "I'm not seeing any dark hair." 

"Did you see it, Abbey?!" Jed's hand squeezed hers tightly. She nodded still panting through the pain, the sight of her baby giving her both a deeper incentive to push and a horrible trepidation. How on earth was she going to push that out without ripping in two? 

"Mrs. Bartlet, can you lift your hips please?" Another nurse stood ready to remove the soiled chuck with a new one. Abbey looked at the woman as if she were insane. "No." She continued to blow through the contraction getting ready for the next urge to bear down. 

"Mrs. Bartlet, we have to do this." 

"Not now," Abbey moaned. "Please go away." The baby was so heavy in her bottom there was no way that she could lift her hips. 

"I can't. We have to change this and keep you clean." 

"I have a WATERMELON between my thighs. I CAN'T lift myself." 

"Do you really have to this now?" Jed asked, caught up between his wife's comfort and sanitary necessity. The nurse nodded. "Well, okay then, I'll help you, babe." Jed helped Abbey to roll to the side enough for them to pull out the old and set down a new. 

"Why can't they all just leave me alone?" Abbey snapped with irritation. "Oh, God, when is this going to be OVER?" 

"Just concentrate on me and my voice." 

Jed continued to count while, face scrunched and red, Abbey continued to push. With each push, Jed looked into the mirror to see the ring of flesh grow wider, the baby's head – a whitish-gray with blondish red hair smeared with blood and mucus – getting bigger and bigger, only to slip back as the contraction eased. Finally when a contraction eased and the head did not slip back into the birth canal, Tildy called for the doctor. Abbey was dismayed to see Dr. Dreadful ordering her off to the delivery room. 

"Why can't I just stay here?!" She protested as the orderlies lifted her onto a gurney, her legs still splayed, the baby thick and almost emerging between her thighs, the burning there intensifying as the flesh was being stretched to its limits. 

"You can't have a baby in the LABOR ROOM." The doctor shook his head and left for the delivery room. Panting and trying to keep from pushing, Abbey was wheeled down the hall with Jed not far behind. It all seemed so inhumane to him. To force a woman in agony the way that Abbey was to be lifted and carted and jostled around just to bring her to another room for the delivery. 

"Where do you think you're going?" Dr. Leighton stepped in front of Jed as he was about to enter the delivery room. 

"I'm coming in here with my wife." 

"Look, you've done your thing. You have no business being in here." 

"What the hell are you talking about? That's my wife and that's my baby about to be born." Jed tried to brush past but the doctor gripped his arm. 

"And you can wait in the waiting room for that to happen just like all the other fathers." 

"I'm not going anywhere. My wife wants me here. I want to be here and it's NOT all the other fathers. There are a LOT of fathers that go into delivery rooms now." 

"Not MY delivery room. This isn't pretty you know? Do you have any idea what kind of a gory mess it's going to be?" 

"I think I have an idea," Jed said sarcastically. "I've been helping the nurses change soiled chucks all day long. I saw my child crowning; it was just about to be born until YOU in all your infinite wisdom decided to move Abbey in here. Now you take your goddamn hand off my arm and let me get in there to be with my wife or so help me God, I will FLATTEN you." 

Taken aback by his intensity, Dr. Leighton let go of the young man. "Fine," he cleared his throat trying to regain his authority. "But keep yourself under control. I don't want to have to take care of you AND your wife." 

"I'll be fine. You just take care of my wife and baby." Jed strode into the delivery room moving to Abbey's side. Thankfully, she had been busy being transferred from the gurney to the table and was oblivious to the altercation in the hall outside the room. 

"Jed." She reached out for him. "Remember how I said I wanted...three... or four children." 

"I recall you saying something like that." 

"I take it back. I think one is plenty." 

Jed smiled tenderly, wiping the sweat from her brow. "I'm way ahead of you. I gave up the idea of my basketball team after your first contraction." 

Once on the table, Abbey was placed flat on her back and her legs lifted high and wide in the stirrups. It felt all wrong to her, she needed gravity to help her, and she needed to be able to grasp her knees for leverage. Jed could see in the mirror behind the doctor's head that she had lost some ground. The head was not quite as visible as it had been in the labor room and she was having difficulty pushing from flat on her back. She was also tiring very quickly. The whole day had gone by and she was soaked with sweat and utterly exhausted. 

"I think I'm going to need the forceps," the doctor said. "She can't push anymore." 

"NO!" Abbey nearly shrieked. "No, I can push! Let me do it!" She grabbed Jed's hand and gave a ferocious push crying out with the force of it. "Please take my legs out of the stirrups," she gasped. "They're too wide, it's burning really bad." She could feel that the skin was stretched too tight with her legs so far apart. 

"Your legs are fine. They're just where they are supposed to be." 

"No, no, they aren't. It HURTS! It's burning!" 

"Well, you didn't want the morphine and you didn't want the epidural. Did you think that it wouldn't hurt?" 

"That's enough!" Jed snapped. "You think you could do this without any pain medication?" 

"I'm not sure he could do it WITH medication." A smiling Dr. Fowler entered the delivery room in scrubs and Abbey wanted to cry with relief. "Sorry I'm so late. I guess a lot of babies decided they wanted to be born before Christmas. But it looks like I got here just in time to catch your baby, Abbey." Jed felt a wave of gratitude toward the young doctor for simply referring to his wife by her name, something Dr. Leighton had not done all day long. Ian Fowler stood in front of Abbey's splayed thighs seeing exactly what she had been complaining about, her legs WERE too far apart. "I'll take over, Alastair." His voice was firm and authoritative in spite of the fact that he was twenty years younger than the other doctor was. 

"She's all yours." Leighton stood, removed his gloves and left the delivery room. 

Disgusted with Dr. Leighton, Tildy moved to bring back the positive spirit they'd had in the labor room. Looking down between Abbey's thighs, she saw the red ring of flesh stretched tight around a reddish patch of hair. "Abbey, Jed, your baby is crowning. Give me your hands." She lifted Abbey into an upright position and with Dr. Fowler's help, she placed her hand on one side of the emerging head and Jed's on the other so that their fingertips touched, merging over the top of their baby's hard wet sticky head. Awed by the experience, green eyes met blue with love and tears, together they had both just touched the new life they had created. Then Abbey whimpered softly as she realized just how widely her body was spread apart and as another incredibly strong urge to push coursed through her she realized that even though she knew she was going to tear, she had to get that baby out of her or die trying. Dr. Fowler quickly lowered the stirrups but it was too late. Abbey bore down crying out as she felt the tissues ripping, felt the doctor quickly snipping away at her flesh with his scissors trying to lessen the severity of the tear. 

"Oh, get it out...get it out!" 

"You're doing that yourself," Dr. Fowler told her. "You're doing great. Give me another nice big push, Abbey." 

Hand clutching Jed's so tightly it cut off circulation, her chin tucked into her chest, her eyes shut tight Abbey gave herself over to the crushing need to force the heavy mass from between her legs. Hearing her agonized groan, Jed watched with widening eyes as she stretched almost impossibly, bile rising as he saw the tear to her flesh and a bloodied head being eased by Dr. Fowler out of her body. The supreme relief of having that out of her caused Abbey to fall back with exhaustion, crying softly. The head had come out the way it was supposed to facing down, but the internal forces inside Abbey's body began to rotate the baby to its side and for the first time, Jed saw his child's face, tiny, red, scrunched up and covered with blood and birthing fluids. Other than Abbey, it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen in his life. Overwhelmed, he hadn't even noticed the tears that trailed down his cheeks or that his shoulders were shaking until he felt Tildy rubbing his arm. 

"Pretty amazing, isn't it?" she asked. 

Jed could only nod. 

Finished with the suctioning of the birthing fluids from the baby's mouth and nose, Dr. Fowler looked up at Abbey. 

"A couple more pushes and you'll be a mother." 

Summoning reserves of strength she hadn't know that she possessed, Abbey squeezed Jed's hand and with a deep almost inhuman noise, she bore down springing the baby's shoulders free, at which point the rest of the wet slippery body followed with a audible pop. A loud newborn squall filled the room making everyone laugh with relief and joy. 

"Well, Abbey, you're officially a Mama." Grinning broadly, Dr. Fowler lifted the squalling infant, still attached to Abbey and trailing the umbilical cord, high between her thighs. She could barely see the baby through her tears before the cord was cut and it was whisked away leaving her feeling bereft. She wanted to touch it, hold it, to see this child she had just spent the entire day and part of the night birthing. 

"Is it a girl or boy, Jed?" 

"It's a girl, Abbey. We have a daughter." Leaning over to kiss her forehead, Jed felt a tenderness for her that was so strong it made his chest ache and his eyes burn. "I love you. I love you so damn much." His lips rained kisses along her sweaty brow and cheeks and into her damp hair. 

"I love you too," She turned her head to catch his lips and suddenly they were laughing and crying, exhalant with pure joy. "We did it, Jed." 

"No, YOU did it, Abbey. You were remarkable, so beautiful and strong and brave. Thank you so much for our daughter." 

"I couldn't have done it without you." She lifted his hand seeing the half moon crescents she'd left in his skin and kissed them. Then, remembering the primal forces that had warred within her body, she gave him a sheepish look. "Well I COULD have done it without you, but it was so much better with you here. You did great. You didn't get sick or hyperventilate or faint or anything." She knew those were all things that he had been worried about. 

"I didn't, did I? Well, I got a little lightheaded a few times and a little squeamish but I guess worrying about you was more important. It took my mind off myself." 

"Hey, Daddy," Tildy called over from the baby warmer. "Want to come meet your daughter?" 

Jed glanced down at Abbey. Her smile had turned to a grimace as another contraction seized her body and a nurse began palpating her abdomen fiercely. 

"Stop it...PLEASE...that hurts," Abbey tried to push the nurse's hand from her belly. 

"She needs to do that, Abbey." Dr. Fowler told her. "I'm going to be delivering your placenta right now." He felt her tense, knew she was expecting a renewed agony. "This won't be nearly as bad," he consoled her sympathetically. "I promise." Jed stayed holding her hand until the thick mass of afterbirth was expelled. Being interested scientifically, medically and maternally, Abbey asked to see the placenta. Dr. Fowler showed it to them, lifting the flap to show them where the baby had been living for the past nine months. Abbey was fascinated but she saw Jed's face turn a decided shade of green and urged him to go and meet their daughter. Gratefully, he made his way to where Tildy was tending to his child. He stood silently, overcome with emotion as he gazed down on the wailing infant. She was laying on the warmer still wet with blood and birthing fluids and waving her tiny hands in the air, little tears trailing from behind her closed eyelids. The intensity of his feelings actually took his breath away and he felt a little weak in the knees. This was his daughter. His daughter. Blood of his blood, bone of his bone. He and Abbey had made this little baby; it was a part of them. Tildy smiled and rubbed his shoulder. 

"She's doing great. Wonderful color and a nice set of lungs, huh? Go ahead and touch her, Daddy. She's your little girl." 

Jed nodded, a lump filling his throat and he reached out a tentative hand to stroke her delicate limbs and belly. Tildy noticed him shy away from the clipped piece of umbilical cord that stuck out from where her belly button would be. 

"It's okay," she assured him. "Each time you change her diaper, you'll dab the umbilicus with a little alcohol and in a few days it will dry up and fall off and she'll have a pretty little belly button." 

Jed nodded and bent his head close to her face. "Hello, Elizabeth, I'm your daddy and I'm going to take care of you for as long as I live. Your mommy and I have been waiting a long time to meet you." At the sound of his voice, Elizabeth stopped crying and with a few little hiccups, she turned her head vaguely toward him. 

"Look at that," Tildy laughed. "She knows your voice." 

"I talked to her all the time. Right, Elizabeth?" He continued to stroke her. "I laid my head right on Mommy's belly and told you stories and sang to you. You remember, don't you?" He turned to Abbey, who was watching the two of them with shiny eyes, pride and excitement lighting his face. "She remembers me, Abbey. She knows I'm her dad." 

Abbey nodded, wiping the tear that trailed down her cheek. She was so glad that Jed had been the first one to touch their daughter; it was a joy to watch them bonding. And, she was absurdly pleased with herself. She had DONE it! So many people had told her she wouldn't be able to do it without medication, had thought she was crazy to try, but she had proven them all wrong. Never had she felt such a sense of accomplishment. She knew that women did this every day around the world, but right now she felt as if she were the only woman that had ever given birth. She wanted to shout it out to the world "I HAD A BABY! I DID IT!" She couldn't wait to call her mother, her sister, Millie. In spite of her exhaustion, it was the most exciting most joyful moment of her young life. She and Jed had made a family. 

Tildy's fingers moved to her lips as her own tears stung her eyes. She had felt connected to this young couple right from the start, had truly enjoyed being with them and being part of the tremendous love and synergy they'd had during the labor and birth. And now witnessing the young father's excitement and the young mother's joy brought home to her all the reasons that she had chosen to be a nurse/midwife in the first place. She finished putting the tag on the baby's ankle that matched the one on Abbey's wrist while Jed took pictures then she wrapped the baby in a blanket. There would be plenty of time for a bath later. Now it was time to bond with Mummy. She lifted infant and turned to Jed. 

"Here you go, Daddy." She held the baby out to him and he froze. 

"I...um...I've... uh... never held a baby before." 

"Well then it's about time you learn. You'll be carrying this one around an awful lot. Come on, there's nothing to it." She took the camera from him and placed the baby in his outstretched arms. Instinctively, he settled her into the crook cuddling her close to his torso. 

"All you really have to remember is to support her head. Her neck muscles aren't strong enough to hold up her head yet." Elizabeth was fussing again outraged at having been taken from the warmer. The sound of her daughter's wails caused Abbey's breasts to swell and her nipples to tingle and she was reaching for her as Jed approached the bed. 

"Here's your mommy." He kissed the baby's head as he bent to transfer her to Abbey. "Now you're in your mommy's arms, just where you should be." 

"Oh, Jed...Oh, Jed..." All the pain, all the struggle, all the weariness was gone from Abbey's face as she held her daughter for the first time, jade green eyes alight with joy. Gone were the contortions of pain replaced by wonder and delight and a tender maternal love. Her voice was soft as she crooned to the baby. 

"I know, I know, isn't she amazing?" Jed was kissing the top of Abbey's head while he gazed down at the two of them 

"She's beautiful." Abbey gently stroked the wispy drying red-gold hair on her daughter's head with a sense of awe. She, little Abbey O'Neill Bartlet had brought this beautiful baby girl into the world. She opened up the receiving blanket to examine every perfect ounce of her beloved child; and together she and Jed counted her fingers and toes, exclaimed over miniscule little fingernails and generally delighted in every blessed inch of her. So caught up was she in her new daughter, she hadn't realized that the nurse had finished cleaning her wounds and Dr. Fowler was preparing to sew up her inner and outer tears while another nurse continued to palpitate her belly, pushing hard in circles against her uterus to stop the bleeding. The first stinging pain of the needle caused her to flinch terribly. 

"Ow!" she gasped. "That really hurts." 

"I'm sorry," Dr. Fowler said. "I need to stitch you up now but we'll give the local a little more time to numb you, okay?" 

Abbey nodded. Tildy had been taking pictures of the couple but now she set the camera down moving to the bed to try to distract the new mother. 

"You said you're going to breast feed her, didn't you?" she asked. 

"Yes, do you think I can? I mean now?" 

"I think that's what she's looking for." Elizabeth had been fussing, burying her nose against Abbey's chest rooting against her. 

Abbey bent her neck forward allowing Jed to untie her hospital gown, shucking her shoulder out of it to bare her breast. 

"Okay now," Tildy said. "Make sure her head is in the crook of your elbow, turn her belly to yours. Very good. Now make a C with your other hand and cup your breast and lift. That's it. Now brush her mouth with your nipple." Abbey did as told but Elizabeth only licked half-heartedly at each swipe. 

"She doesn't seem to want to do it." Abbey frowned. 

"No problem. Babies don't always latch right on. She just needs to get the hang of it. Squeeze your nipple gently – see if you can bring forth a little colostrum." 

Abbey's eyes flew to Jed's and they shared a smile remembering the night before when it had been Jed who suckled her. Sure enough a gentle squeeze brought forth a droplet of liquid and this time when she ran her nipple across Elizabeth's lips, the baby latched right on. 

"Oh!" Abbey gave a soft yelp of surprise. It felt so strange, those hard gums snapping over her and that tingling sensation as her milk ducts opened. The baby suckled far harder than she had anticipated it would, pulling her entire nipple and areola into her mouth. Her eyes moved from Elizabeth up to Jed, a little shy and unsure of herself as she undertook this new task of motherhood. He smiled at her reassuringly and gazed down with adoration at his daughter's small face pressed up against Abbey's creamy, blue veined, full breast, her little pink lips pursed around the nipple sucking away. Her eyes were closed, dark lashes laying against the pale skin of her cheeks, the tiny veins visible beneath the nearly translucent skin of her eyelids. One hand had reached up and lay on Abbey's breast as if making sure to keep it there. 

"I never realized how beautiful it would be to watch you feed her," he said. Abbey flushed lightly but was quite pleased with herself. 

"She's just the best little baby, aren't you, sweetheart," she crooned to her. "You're so smart. You know this is all new to Mommy but you know just what to do, don't you? Your sisters and brothers are going to have to thank you for breaking me in properly." Elizabeth opened her eyes; her mouth still pursed around her nipple looking straight up at her with Jed's blue eyes. Oh, she knew all babies were born with blue eyes, but these were true blue she knew it, just like her daddy's. 

"Sisters and brothers?" Jed asked, tucking a sweat dampened lock of hair behind her ear. "I thought you said one was going to have to be enough." 

Abbey smiled tenderly running a finger over her daughter's soft cheek then lifted her hand to run the same finger over her husband's jaw. "That was before I got a look at this little beauty. I want a few more just like her." 

Jed shook his head. Just a few minutes ago she had been in the throes of the most gut wrenching agony, and here she was already talking about having more babies. He was damn sure that if it had been him, going through something like that again would be the last thing on his mind. "Anyone who ever refers to women as the weaker sex has a screw loose," he said. "You amaze me." 

Elizabeth's mouth went slack and she released her mother's nipple. Jed was surprised to see that the milk continued to dribble from the nipple even without the baby suckling. He bent forward to wipe the residue off the baby's chin and Abbey's breast and Abbey lifted her onto her shoulder for a burp. "Well, all I can say is that she was worth absolutely every awful second of it." 

Tildy stood back taking pictures, capturing the moments that Abigail Bartlet fell completely and irrevocably head over heels in love with her daughter, just as she had with Jed at the warmer. 

Abbey put Elizabeth to her other breast at Tildy's prodding and continued to nurse her while the pains in her uterus still contracted rhythmically within her and while the doctor continued to stitch her up, finishing with an icy compress to ease the swelling and help with the pain. But, all that discomfort was irrelevant when it came to holding her child in her arms. Too soon it was time to take the baby away to be bathed, weighed and measured and Abbey was to be wheeled back to her room. But, before any of that could happen Tildy approached them. 

"Before you leave here," she said. "I just wanted to tell you both how much you moved me today. Abbey, your courage, your stamina, your humor and your strength impressed me very much. You wanted a natural childbirth and you did it. You didn't let anything deter you. You just passed one of the greatest tests of womankind and you passed it with flying colors. You should take real pride in the way that you brought Elizabeth into the world. That baby is a very lucky little girl to have two parents who so obviously love each other and who love her so very much. I realize that I don't know you both but I think that being in the trenches with you today I learned an awful lot about you, about the love and respect that you have for each other. It was beautiful to observe the way that you were together, the way that you worked together. Jed, you were a terrific coach. I know you were scared, I know there were times you wanted to break down, but you have a strong heart and strong will and I'll never forget the love and tenderness that you showed Abbey today, the way you fought for her, or your tears as you watched your daughter enter the world. It was truly a privilege to be a part of your birth today. And, Abbey, I'm going to make sure you get that cheeseburger and fries." 

With laughter, hugs and more tears, Tildy took Elizabeth from Abbey and set off to give her first bath. Abbey reached out for Jed's hand, this time gently. 

"I can't believe it's over," she said. 

"Me either," he sighed wearily. 

"Jed." 

"Yes, babe?" 

He looked down as a beatific smile crossed her face and she told him with a mixture of pride and awe. "I'm a mom." 

**** 

"Mommy, Mommy, when is we gonna GO?!" Nicholas stamped his foot with irritation bringing Abbey and Jed out of their reveries and flinging them forward three decades. 

Abbey's eyes narrowed with reproach. "We'll go when you can ask me NICELY. Don't stamp your foot at me." 

Nicky's arms crossed over his chest, a stubborn tilt to his jaw that was pure genetics at work. Abbey's gaze did not waver; she'd had years of dealing with such stubbornness. Seeing quite quickly that he wasn't going to get anywhere, Nicholas exhaled the breath he'd been holding, blue eyes softening with a sweet appeal. 

"I wanna go, Mama." He lifted his arms to her. She smiled. 

"Yes, okay we're going." Abbey bent and lifted the boy into her arms. So much had happened to her as a mother since that long day when she'd first become one. Dr. Leighton and the clinical atmosphere of the hospital, the way they'd whisked Elizabeth away from her directly after she was born, had caused her to decide five years later to give birth to her second child at home with Millie playing midwife and Jed actually delivering her in the midst of a blizzard. Plans for Zoey had been changed when she was born premature via emergency caesarian with an epidural and Nicholas and Aislinn had come into the world in the new modern birthing suites where labor and delivery all took place in the same room and where natural childbirth was the norm and not the exception. 

There had been heartache in her role as a mother. She'd had a first trimester miscarriage her first year in medical school and she'd buried a stillborn son less than four years after Zoey's birth. But oh, what joy motherhood had brought to her. She'd nourished her children from her own body. Had rocked them to sleep and wiped their tears. Had told them bedtime stories and listened to their prayers. Had fixed their boo boos and brushed their hair. Had helped with their homework and cheered for them on sporting fields. Had bought them their first bras and taught them about the facts of life. She'd done their laundry, decorated their bedrooms, knew their favorite colors and their favorite meals and all their personality quirks. Elizabeth, Ellie, Zoey, Aislinn and Nicholas – her children, her loves, her heart. Along with her marriage, they were her five greatest accomplishments – five pieces of her and of Jed that would in fact render them immortal. 

"Abbey?" Jed gently gripped her elbow. "We really have to leave so we'll have time to change for John's party tonight on the yacht." 

Abbey turned. Jed held Aislinn on his hip, their daughter's fingers playing with his lips. He was no longer the beautiful half man/half boy that he had been when they lived here. His face was stronger and more rugged, the planes more sharply drawn. He was fully a man now, a man of great integrity and power. A man capable of great strength and great compassion. And if possible, he was even more beautiful to her now than he had been then. The tiny lines at the corners of his eyes bespoke of years of laughter and at times of struggle and pain. The stubborn lift to his jaw spoke of a steely determination that many underestimated because of the boyish charm that had never left his personality. No matter how many accolades he'd received, no matter how powerful he had become, that attractive, sweet, mischievous, curious and enthusiastic boy still lurked in his heart and she hoped that he always would. 

He had, however, come a long way from the insecure young man who had been afraid to hold his own child. He was a veteran now, a father many times over. He could burp a baby, change a diaper, check a temperature, give a bottle, or shampoo hair without getting soap in tender eyes as well as any mother. He had potty trained his children and taught them to play catch. He had helped them through their first periods and walked one down the aisle. He had played with them, offered both discipline and love and given them the gifts of his intellect, his compassion and his faith. He was a "daddy" in the very best sense of the word. 

"Abbey? You're a million miles away." Jed pulled Aislinn's fingers from his mouth and she began to play with his eyebrows. 

She smiled and nodded. "Just thinking about the past. It all started here, Jed." 

Jed thought on that for a moment then shook his head negatively. "No, babe. It all started at that party at Notre Dame when God saw fit to set you in my path." 

She lifted a brow. "That's a little egocentric, don't you think? What makes you think God was looking out for you more than me? Maybe he set YOU in MY path." 

Jed smiled and reached out a hand to touch her cheek. "I think maybe He did it for both of us." 

"Maybe he did. But, I'm not going to question why He did it or for whom, I'm just glad that He did." She took his hand and kissed his knuckles then turned to give the place one final look soaking up the memories of years gone by. Yes, she had started on an incredible adventure that day so many years ago that she'd given birth to her first child but it was an adventure that continued on to this day and would until the day that she died. She might not be a surgeon anymore and would most certainly one day retire from being a doctor and a teacher, but a woman never stopped being a mother no matter how old her children got. A smile touched her lips at that thought and she followed her husband and the daughter who now rode on his shoulders out the door from the past and into the sunlight of the future. 


	35. Summer of Us, The

"Indian theme..." Jed was grumbling as he stepped out of the bathroom. "Leave it to John to..." he trailed off as his eyes set on Abbey standing before the mirror slipping dangling ruby earrings in her ears. 

"Hmmm...what were you saying?" 

"Never mind what I was saying. Is THAT what you're wearing?" 

An Indian inspired crimson silk dress embroidered with metallic gold thread simply brushed over her sexy curves from the full rounded breasts that it cut deeply to reveal, to the soft flare of hip down over her thighs. Matching stiletto sandals with just one strap across her crimson painted toes did incredible things to her shapely calves and she had straightened her strawberry blond hair into a sleek shining waterfall that without its normal wave and curl spilled down over her shoulders and bare back almost to the sweet curve of her rear. She embodied a sensual, sophisticated sexiness in much the same way she had embodied soft feminine elegance at the state dinner a couple nights ago. There were so many different women that lurked inside his wife's persona that he never knew which Abbey he might be encountering and that was both exciting and erotic. 

Abbey glanced down at the dress. "No, I thought I'd just try it on before I change into my granny sack. Of course, it's what I'm wearing. What's wrong with it?" 

"Nothing, if we were dining here alone or if John Marbury weren't going to be ogling you all night." 

"Ahh... so that's what this is about." She began rooting in her jewelry box. 

"Are you telling me it's not?" He stepped up to her and cupped his hands over her breasts lifting them to reveal even more of the creamy swells. "You know how he is about these..." Jed's eyes narrowed as he saw the mischievous gleam begin to dance in the jade green depths of Abbey's. "You did this on PURPOSE? You WANT him to gawk at your tits?" Abbey removed his hands from her breasts. 

"I bought this dress when we got the invitation to the party that specified an Indian theme. However, if there is a little payback that I get out of it then so be it. There's always been a line with John. He stepped over it just a bit at the state dinner so a little punishment might be in store." She placed her hands on her hips and struck a pose. "John Marbury can eat his heart out." 

Jed laughed. "A little 'you can look but you can't touch?'" 

"Absolutely." She cupped her own hands over her breasts. "There's only one man that gets to touch these." 

"Oh yeah, do I know him?" 

"Meet me in my stateroom after the party and we'll find out." 

"You're on, toots." His hand slid over her silk clad rear and he gave her a squeeze of promise. 

**** 

"Indian theme." Jed was still grumbling and picking at his jacket as the motorcade pulled up to the brightly lit yacht that lay anchored under the Tower Bridge. 

"Stop it," Abbey admonished him as they stepped out of the car. "I think it's going to be fun and you look very dashing." She took a step back admiring her man. In his black Nehru jacket and silk crimson vest embroidered with gold that matched her dress, he was indeed the epitome of the elegant gentleman. 

"Dashing?" he gave her a roguish grin. "You're sounding very British for an American First Lady." 

"Okay, let me put it in American terms. You, Jed Bartlet, are a total FOX." 

"I was hoping that you were going to say 'stud'." 

"Well, that will depend on later in the stateroom, won't it?" 

"Last night doesn't count?" 

"Absolutely not. I rate you on a day to day basis. Keeps you from slacking." 

"Baby, have I ever slacked in that department?" 

"There's a reason that you don't and that's because I don't let you rest on your laurels." 

They were both laughing as they moved to step on board the yacht and when Jed's eye caught the name of the vessel he rolled his eyes. 

" _The Sea Nymph_ ," he told Abbey. "How apropos." 

**** 

"Abahgail! Mr. President." Lord John approached with drink already in hand. "So, good of you to come." 

"It was nice of you to invite us, John." Abbey smiled as John took her hand kissing the back of it, his eyes lighting as they fell on her cleavage. 

"Gracious God! You look absolutely edible, my darling." Abbey took an almost imperceptible step back fearing for one brief moment that he just might bury his face into the valley between her breasts and nibble in. One never knew what to expect with the eccentric Lord. 

"And you look very..." 

"Casual," Jed supplied with lifted brow as he took in the knee length blue tunic and white draw string pajama style pants John wore along with his bare feet. 

John laughed. "Indian Kurta pajamas. You should try them, Mr. President. The draw string makes it easy for a little mmm...mmmm...mmmm...if you get my drift." He wiggled his brows lecherously and sent an elbow into his side. 

"Impossible not to," Jed stated drolly. 

"Well, I'm going to check with the Captain about moving on out. Please make your way over to the bar for cocktails." 

Abbey slipped her arm through Jed's and they set off to the bar. 

"If he so much as touches that drawstring of his around you, I'm going for my gun," Jed warned. 

"That might be a little difficult since you don't carry a gun." 

"I've got about twenty guys around me that do." 

"Jed," she shook her head with a chuckle. "I'm not worried about the drawstring. It was that talk of being edible. I thought for sure that he was going to bend down and take a chunk out of my boob." 

It was Jed's turn to laugh. "Well, speaking from experience, your nipples are mighty fine tasting." 

"Jed!" She turned quickly to see if anyone might have overheard and was relieved to see that they were alone save for the bartender who was making their drinks with a tiny smile on his lips. Her suspicions that he'd overheard were played out when he brought them their drinks, his eyes lingering just a moment too long on the hard nubs of her nipples pushing at the silky fabric of her dress in tingling arousal at Jed's words. 

"Well, well, well, it has been a long time hasn't it?" 

Abbey froze at the throaty upper class feminine British accent. She hadn't seen the woman in years, but she would never forget that voice. There had been a time when she had wanted to rip Pamela Marbury's hair out at the roots. 

Jed turned to the woman with a nod. "Hello..." It took him a moment but then he remembered. "Pamela, good to see you." John's sister Pamela was about his and Abbey's age and still an attractive woman with a very voluptuous body. Now that she was older, she reminded him very much of Joan Collins and she was every bit as predatory as Alexis Carrington had ever been. 

"And it's VERY good to see you." Pamela took his hands in hers and leaned forward to kiss his cheek making sure to press her breasts into his chest suggestively. Abbey's eyes shot daggers. Pamela Marbury had always been a forward bitch. 

"You're still a handsome devil, Jed Bartlet," Pamela gave a sensual laugh. "But then again you always were." She reached a hand up to wipe her lipstick from Jed's cheek and Abbey's knuckles whitened on her glass, her face tightening. 

"Pamela, darling." An elderly gentleman called over to her and Pamela rolled her eyes. 

"My husband, Basil." 

"What happened to Duncan?" Abbey asked coolly. 

"Oh, darling Abigail, you have to keep up. Basil is hubby number four. Well, I better go see what the old bugger wants. Save a dance for me, Mr. President." 

"I will," he grinned. 

"Toodles." She was off leaving behind a cloud of perfume. 

Jed could tell from Abbey's stony visage and body language that Pamela had gotten to her. Amusement danced in his baby blue eyes. 

"Not so fun when the shoe is on the other foot, is it?" 

"What?" she frowned. 

"You didn't like Pamela flirting with me." 

"Oh, was that what that was? Looked to me more like a proposition." 

"It's no different than the way that John flirts with you. Actually, it was more benign. I didn't hear her asking to grasp my cock." 

"That's because Pamela doesn't ask when she wants something. She takes." 

"It's not any different from John, and you find HIM amusing." 

"There is a difference, Jed. John Marbury is a flirt and a tease but Pamela is very, very serious. And, there is one other big difference. John Marbury has never seen me naked." She turned from him and moved toward the rail taking a good swallow from her golden margarita. She knew she was being foolish and that she had nothing to worry about with Jed and Pamela Marbury. But, hearing that voice had plunged her back a few decades to the young new mother that she had been, exhausted from taking care of a newborn and insecure over having not quite shed the last few pounds of baby weight from her pregnancy. 

"You're right. If he'd walked into our room the way she did and saw you naked, I'd have kneed his balls off." 

Abbey chuckled. "She's lucky that I was naked too or I might have ripped every hair out of her head." Lady Pamela, having flirted up a storm with Jed the whole weekend they had spent at the Marbury ancestral home had decided to make her move while she thought Abbey was out taking Elizabeth for a walk in her pram. Knowing that Jed was taking a shower, she planned to join him and take him to bed. She arrived in the Bartlet bedroom wearing a slinky peignoir and nothing else just as he was coming out of the bathroom, completely and gloriously naked, the water still running over his lean, hard, masculine body. Like the predator that she was, she moved in instantly, her hand reaching out to him only to be brought up short when a laughing and very naked Abbey followed closely behind him having partaken in that shower with him, her smile fading quickly into a furious rage. 

"As it was, you gave her a tongue lashing the likes of which she'd probably never heard before in her life. Good Catholic girl that you were, I didn't even know you knew half the words that you used." 

"She's lucky they were only words." 

"Now, Abbey, you know I was never the slightest bit interested in Pamela Marbury." 

"I know that and YOU know that. It's just too bad that SHE didn't know that. You'd think she would have gotten the hint. And, you know what gets me was that she was so BLATENT about it, patting you on the ass while I was standing RIGHT at your side. What kind of a woman does that? What kind of a woman – and a married woman at that – goes to a married man's bedroom half naked and expecting to get laid while his DAUGHTER is sleeping next door and his wife is in the house?" 

"I believe a couple of the terms you used were 'two-bit whore' and 'an adulterous scum sucking slut of a bitch in heat with the morals of an alley cat'." 

"You can't remember her NAME but you can remember the terms I used to cuss her out?" 

Jed grinned. "I'm funny that way. I've always enjoyed your colorful way with language especially when your Irish is up. I thought it was quite interesting the way you referred to her as both a bitch in heat AND an alley cat in the same sentence." He slid his hands around her hips. "You know, it kind of turns me on when you curse like a sailor." 

"Really?" her smile turned sensual and she reached a hand out to ostensibly brush the lapel of his jacket. "You like it when I talk dirty, eh?" 

"You know I do. Provided you aren't calling me a scum sucking slut of a bitch in heat with the morals of an alley cat." 

"Well." She leaned in to press a kiss to his chin. "Technically you can't be a bitch in heat, and you sure don't have the morals of an alley cat, so I think you're safe. But, maybe if you're a good boy, I'll play a little two-bit whore for you." She pressed her pelvis into his groin with a promise. Jed's eyes lit with fire. 

"Where is our stateroom?" 

"Not now, Jed. We haven't even had dinner yet. It's going to be a long time until we get down to our stateroom." 

"But...but..." He glanced down. "You just got the ball rolling." 

"I know," she gave a throaty chuckle. "Remember this the next time we visit a reptile house and you think it might be funny to pretend a snake is biting me on the ass." She gave his rear a little pinch and turned to join the party. 

Jed shook his head and stayed in the shadows. "Women," he grumbled. 

**** 

As the cocktail hour ended, the guests, made up mainly of the diplomatic corps and the entertainment crowd John liked to surround himself with, made their way to the large deck to dine. The evening had all the makings of pure romance – tables covered in white linen, shining silver and crystal, tiny white lights gracing the deck rails and candles flickering and dazzling on the women's jewels. Waiters in tuxedos moved amongst them pouring wine, and music from a small quartet filled the night air. All the while the yacht was slowly moving up the darkened Thames, the bright glimmering lights of the London skyline marking their way. 

"Madras Chicken. It might a little too hot for you, Mr. President, " John warned as the cover was lifted off the new dish. "I mean I'm not sure if you're used to such hot and spicy foods." 

"Oh, I have no problem at all with hot and spicy." His eyes touched Abbey's across the table alight with heated humor. "Besides, you've never tried my firehouse chili. Now THAT will make a man of you." 

Abbey looked down at her plate with a smile of amusement at the testosterone-laced banter that basically amounted to 'my penis is bigger than yours'. Men could be absolutely adorable at times. She saw the sweat bead on Jed's forehead, his face turning ruddy as he took a bite of the new dish. John's face quickly matched Jed's, his own eyes watering. Abbey noted both their hands clenching, itching to reach for their water glasses, but stubbornly refusing to be the first to do so. Competitive bastards. She purposely took her own glass of water and sipped from it enjoying their looks of longing. 

"Abigail." John's voice was hoarse as he turned to her. "Are you going to try it?" 

"Absolutely not. I don't have a penis so I don't have any manhood to prove by burning my esophagus. I'll stick to my curry." 

The table burst into laughter, John the loudest of all. Lord, how he loved this woman. He'd always enjoyed a sassy lady and Abbey was full of piss and vinegar. She was the kind of woman that a man could admire all night long whether it was her humor, her intellect, her charm or her beauty. He looked at her now with the candlelight shining in her fiery hair and over the gentle planes of her lovely still youthful face. Abbey Bartlet radiated sexuality. She was completely sure of herself as an intelligent sexual being and carried herself with a self-confidence that was extremely alluring. He enjoyed flirting with her and while his flirting was all in good-natured fun, he did on many occasions wonder what the feisty and sensual Mrs. Bartlet might be like in bed. 

"Oh!" The President gave a startled jump in his chair ending any erotic daydreams John might have been on his way to pursuing. With all eyes on him, the man flushed a deep red with apology saying he'd bitten his tongue. 

Abbey's eyes moved from her flustered husband to the sly smile on Lady Pamela's face and she felt her own face flushing, her eyes narrowing dangerously. At the first opportunity after dinner, she pulled Jed aside. 

"What the hell was up with you tonight at supper?" she asked. "You were squirming in your seat like you had ants in your pants." 

"I was trying to keep Lady Pamela's toes from running up my calves and thighs. She's a persistent woman I'll tell you that." 

"Pamela Marbury was playing footsie with you under the table?" Jed could see the fire that had been smoldering within her working its way up to a full flame. 

"I guess you could call it that." 

"What would you call it?" 

"Feeling me up with her feet." 

Abbey's look of outrage intensified, her blood pressure rising along with her Irish temper. "When you jumped?" 

"Yup, right over my crotch." 

"That bloody BITCH." Abbey's emerald eyes flashed fire and she turned scanning the room looking for the object of her ire. "Wait until I get my hands on her." 

"Abbey, I'm going to tell you the same thing you tell me. Let it go." 

"Let it go? Are you out of your friggin' mind?" 

Jed gave a snort of laughter. Truthfully a part of him was enjoying watching his wife's jealousy. Her passionate wifely outrage at another woman's touch warmed him and amused him and it was also very sexy. "No, I am not out of my friggin' mind. But, I can fight my own battles, just like you tell me you can fight yours. If she comes on to me again, Lady Pamela and I will have a little heart to heart. I do owe her a dance." 

Abbey's arms crossed under her breasts. "You'll dance with her over my dead body." 

"You think you're the boss of me?" God how he loved fanning the flames of her passionate fire. He wanted nothing more than to light that flame, lift her dress and take her right here. 

"You dance with her and no Mr. Stud tonight." Her hands moved to her hips in a combative gesture. 

"What about the two-bit whore?" 

"She won't be visiting either." 

"Well, then I'll just have to keep myself out of Lady Pamela's clutches, won't I?" 

"I suggest that you do." 

**** 

"The curse of being married to a beautiful woman." 

Jed, leaning against the bar awaiting a refill, turned to see John sidling up beside him with a young blond on his arm. His gaze followed John's back across the deck to where his wife was surrounded by a group of fascinated men. She was laughing, her nose wrinkling in that way that was both charming and adorable. He had long ago resigned himself to the fact that falling in love with such a lovely creature of course meant that she would attract attention. It was in fact not jealousy that he felt now; it was a sense of pride and truth be told a little awe. He had no reason to be jealous. He knew very well that while Abbey enjoyed sex, indeed had a strong sex drive, her passionate nature was sated in one place and one place only and that was in his bed. His utter trust in her faithfulness, in the fact that he was the only man she wanted between her legs, the only man she wanted at her side was a powerful turn on indeed and it was why he was able to watch her laughing and charming and innocently flirting without being overcome with the waves of jealousy that did at times overtake him. 

"Maybe it is," Jed agreed taking a swallow from his replenished glass. "But it's also a gift." He left John behind at the bar and moved over directly across from Abbey leaning against the rail. 

In the middle of a conversation Abbey felt it, the little electrical impulses that she jokingly called her "Jedar" because she was quite often able to feel her husband's eyes upon her. She looked up to see him not twenty feet away, her eyes widening at the look of heat that seared her from across the deck, her mouth falling open. He stood straight, his shoulders broad, chin strong and demanding. There was something of a restrained aroused animal in his gaze that sent a shiver down her spine, caused her nipples to harden and her desire to begin to pulse savagely between her legs. He wanted her. She wanted him. She bit her full bottom lip, excused herself, and moved to the back of the yacht, hiding in the shadow of a lifeboat. They had done this before, at deadly dull faculty parties or fundraisers, at hospital Christmas parties, even at a state dinner or two. They'd catch each other's eyes across the room, the passion quickly flaring and disappear into the shadows, a bathroom, a balcony or a closet, anywhere to get close, to TOUCH. 

She leaned over the rail staring out over the inky black winding river anticipating the arrival of her lover. She heard his footsteps but didn't move. Her heart began to race as the footsteps drew near, her excitement growing with her anticipation. She felt his hands on her shoulders – had known he would come – fantasy and reality blended into one. She turned, the moonlight creating shadows so that she couldn't read his face. She didn't need to read his face. She felt his big hand cup her cheek and her jaw and then his face was descending toward her. She opened her mouth in anticipation and he closed his over her full bottom lip – the one she had bitten in desire just moments before and that had created a surge of lust through his body. He sucked on it and gently nibbled it with his teeth while her tongue stroked his upper lip tracing its contours. They continued to tenderly kiss in the moonlight tongues touching and teasing until the desire flared to heights where it would not be denied. Abbey's breasts swelled against Jed's chest, his penis swelled against her belly and they melted into one being. 

A shiver ran over Abbey's skin as she felt Jed's fingers trail seductively up and down the satin expanse of her bare back before sliding into the side of her dress and lifting her breast from the confine of both bra and dress revealing the milky swell with its strawberry tip to the soft caress of the moon. He bent his head gently flicking his tongue over her nipple then pulling it completely into his mouth. She gave a soft gasp of pleasure and fell back against the rail. The lull in music and the sound of voices a few moments later brought her back to her senses and she realized just what a wanton sight they would make if discovered. She was bent back over the yacht's rail, her fingers threading through her husband's hair holding him to her nipple while he suckled the breast he had pulled from her dress. 

"Jed." She pulled at his hair to get his attention. His indigo eyes were slumberous, hooded with wanting. 

"Hmmm?" 

"Not here. We can't do this here." She stood and unceremoniously shoved her wet breast back into her dress, hands shaking with unfulfilled arousal. He heard the voices then too and stood in front of her to shield her while she adjusted her dress in case they were discovered. Then reasonably straightened, Abbey took his hand. 

"Let's go make our excuses and get to our stateroom." 

Jed looked down ruefully. His erection was still creating a very obvious tent in his pants. "Guess Marbury was right, I should have worn those Indian pajamas like he had on. They'd at least hide a hard-on. I can't go back through the party like this." 

"I suppose not. Tell you what. You stay out here, get things under control and that will give me time to change into a special garment." 

"Abbey, for Christ's sake don't mention 'special garments'. You just made Old Hickory stretch another inch." 

Abbey laughed. "Tell him to save a few of those. I'm going to want every inch he's got." 

"Feeling greedy tonight, gumdrop?" 

"Absolutely," she winked and set off down to their stateroom, the sway of her hips doing nothing to quiet his rampant erection. 

**** 

She was below deck in the small stateroom they had been assigned sitting at a vanity table wearing a red lace baby doll nightie and brushing her long hair when Jed finally arrived. He stood for a moment simply watching her, enjoying the way the light caught the silky strands of her hair as they flowed like molten lava over her bare ivory shoulders. He saw the moment she noticed him in her mirror, saw the sultry smile of invitation touch her lips and he moved forward. He laid his hands over the smattering of pale freckles on her shoulders, bent to nuzzle into her fragrant hair. 

"You're so beautiful," he sighed. "I don't think I tell you that enough." 

She moaned as his fingers began to massage her neck. "Oh, yeah, right there, Jed." She leaned back against the chair closing her eyes. 

"You keep moaning like that and everyone's going to think I've got my hands somewhere other than your neck." 

"Then, if that's what they're already thinking, you may as well put them wherever you like." 

Smiling, his lips trailed along her cheekbone and his hands slipped from her shoulders to disappear inside the front of her nightie covering her breasts. She moaned again, but this time it was closer to a purr of contentment. 

"You like that, do you?" His lips pressed into the hollow behind her ear and he felt her nipples hardening against his sliding thumbs. 

"As if you have to ask. There really is something to be said for having a man...with a breast fetish." 

"Fetish, is it?" His tongue followed the long column of her delicate throat and she arched back to give him greater access. 

"Well, didn't you tell me once," she sighed, "that you could spend all day playing with them." 

"I did. So, that's a fetish? I thought I was just being a man." He squeezed her nipple rolling it between thumb and forefinger issuing forth a quick gasp of pleasure. 

"Well, either way I'm not complaining." 

"You like it when I play with them." It was not a question. 

"You know that I do. But," she pressed her hands into the arms of the chair to stand, "how am I supposed to play two bit whore for you if you're turning me on like this. I'm supposed to be turning you on." 

"You think playing with your nipples doesn't turn me on?" he chuckled. "Besides I've changed my mind. I don't want you to play whore for me. We can do that another night. Tonight I want to love you – every last inch of you. Any complaints?" 

Abbey ran her tongue over her lips. "Do I looked like I'm insane?" 

"You look like something out of the Victoria's Secret catalog. And as erotic as it is, it's time to take it off." He gestured to the sheer lacy garment. 

Smiling coquettishly, Abbey slowly lifted the delicate fabric over her head standing before him bare breasted, the only thing keeping her from being completely naked a small triangular scrap of red lace panty covering the delectable little rise of her mound. Jed stepped forward, lifted one breast in his hand, bent to take the nipple between his lips at the same time his other hand slid inside her panties, fingers delving into the slick warmth between her thighs. 

"Jed..." She ripped at the buttons on his shirt thankful that he had already discarded his jacket and vest. She needed to feel the warmth of his skin, the roughness of his body hair. She shoved the shirt off his shoulders her hands moving up and down his back while he suckled and stroked her. When it was no longer enough, when he needed more sustenance than her nipples could provide, he laid her back on the bed, slipped her panties down her thighs and spread her legs. He knelt on the floor before her; his index finger trailing up and down the wet pink satiny flesh, feeling her thighs quiver with each gentle pass. Unable to slake his thirst for her any longer, he parted her sensitive flesh and bent his head giving her a gentle tender kiss that caused her to arch in an agony of need. With lips and tongue and teeth, he drove her closer and closer to the edge of ecstasy until she was thrashing on the bed grasping at the sheets and moaning his name while her hips rose to his mouth. And, then he stopped. 

"Jed?" His name came out as a whimper of agony. "Oh Jesus, God, don't stop." 

He rubbed his cheek against the springy auburn curls between her thighs, rested his chin on her pubic bone and looked up at her with a smile. She was on her elbows gazing down at him, eyes glittering a pale celadon fire of desire unquenched, her face flushed with passion. She reached a hand down, ran her fingers through his hair. 

"Jed...Please..." she begged. 

At that point, he stood sliding his pants and boxers down to release a rock hard erection. It bobbed before him, jutting out from the masculine bush of light brown hair and Abbey's sheath contracted with the need to feel him inside her. 

"Do you want me to finish with this," he circled a fingertip over her clitoris, "or this?" He ran his hand slowly up the length of his penis, blue eyes dark with desire. 

"Oh, that...please." She pointed at his groin. "Give me every inch you've got." 

"With pleasure, ma'am." He moved between her parted thighs but before he did as asked, he stretched her arms back over her head, her breasts arching up at him. His eyes caught hers – blue fire meeting green. He knew this woman as intimately as a man could know a woman. He knew the honeyed taste of her mouth, the sweet creamy vanilla of the milk he'd nursed from her breasts and the very feminine tang that now filled his mouth from between her thighs. He knew the sounds she made when her pleasure was great, knew what she was like in passionate abandon and in throes of climax. Knew what it was like to watch her pleasure him with her mouth, to swallow his essence and to watch himself sink inside her body. She was his wife, his woman, no one but he would ever know her in this way and conversely no one but she would ever know him in this way with all his walls, guards and inhibitions gone – vulnerable in ways that only she was allowed to see. So many couples that had been together as long as they had been grew tired or bored with one another, but not them, never them. His desire for Abbey was as strong today as it had ever been. Making love to her was always a thrill, always exciting. He slid within her then, one long thrust that gave her every inch she asked for. 

Abbey arched and pulled him down to her then loving the feel of his weight upon her and of the hair on his chest, torso, thighs and at his groin rubbing against her softer more delicate skin. Her hips rose to meet his thrusts, wanting and needing him as deep as she could take him – the pleasure, pain, and thick fullness driving her crazy with need. Her fingers moved from his hips where she had been stroking him to run over his buttocks feeling the muscles clenching with every thrust within her. Her fingers dug into the firm flesh pulling him within her harder, faster, deeper until they both spun out of control, over the edges of ecstasy and into breath stealing orgasms. 

Laying heavily atop her still within her body, the sweat of his chest dampening her breasts, his breath still ragged and catching at times when the quiver of an aftershock caused her inner muscles to contract around him, Jed thought briefly of those men on deck that had surrounded her. He did not have to be jealous of them or of any man when it came to Abbey. He was the only one who was able to turn her into a quivering mass of begging need, into a passionate tigress meeting him touch for touch stroke for stroke. 

"What are you thinking about?" Abbey tenderly teased the sweat-dampened hair at the nape of his neck causing him to shiver. 

"How lucky I am to have you. I was stupid to be jealous of John or of any man." 

She smiled. "And haven't I been telling you that all along? There is no other man in the world that I want like this – that I want in any way." 

"I know. I just can't help it sometimes. You know how I get." 

She laughed, her breasts vibrating against his cheek. "Very well." 

"Well, don't you have something to say to me?" 

"Hmmm?" 

"About how foolish it was to be jealous of Pamela or any other woman because you know there is no other woman in the world that I want to be with." 

"Very well put, babe. And you're right. But I just can't help it sometimes. You know how I get." 

It was Jed's turn to chuckle. Then, feeling Abbey shifting beneath him and knowing that he had to be getting heavy, he withdrew from her body. But, still needing that physical contact, he lay curled around her, his knee drawn up over her thighs, his damp groin pressed against her hip, his head pillowed on her breasts. 

"Well, speaking of Pamela, I didn't get the chance to tell you about what a bilge of sin we're sailing on." 

"Really?" Abbey's interest was perked. "Do tell." 

"After taking a few minutes to recite the alphabet backwards in Latin to bore Old Hickory into submission, I went back to the party to make our excuses and everything was breaking up. The guests had gone and those staying were heading off to their staterooms." 

"And?" 

"And Lady Pamela was not entering a stateroom with hubby Basil." 

"Who was she with?" 

"Look at you." He tweaked her nose. "Nothing like a good sex scandal to perk the interest." 

"Jed." She slapped at his hand. "Who was she with?" 

"Our esteemed young bartender." 

"Shut UP. That young man was Zoey's age. She's old enough to be his mother!" 

"Why all the outrage? Aren't you always the one saying what's good for the gander is good for the goose and all that 'you go, girl' stuff." 

"Don't throw my words in my face. She's a MARRIED woman not just an older woman having a relationship with a younger man." 

"Well, when did that ever stop Lady Pamela?" 

"Slut of a bitch in heat. I had her pegged right from the beginning. Poor Basil." 

"Well, there is more. Lady Pamela is not the only Marbury with strong sex drive and loose morality." 

"Lord John?" 

"And a young blonde young enough to be HIS daughter." 

"Well, that doesn't surprise me, John's always had an eye for pretty young women, possibly why he's been married three times." 

"Well, in this case it was TWO pretty young women." 

"Two!" Abbey jolted upright causing Jed's sleepy cheek to slip from her breast. "He took TWO women to bed?" 

"Yup, looks like you're such a difficult fantasy to overcome it takes TWO women." 

""Oh, stop it, John does not fantasize about me." 

Jed looked up at her with a raised brow. 

"Oh, okay, I know men well enough to know that he probably does, but I don't think that's why he's going to bed with two women." 

Jed shook his head; good old-fashioned Catholic man that he was, the idea of taking two women his daughter's age to bed was not titillating but abhorrent. "It's no wonder he named this thing the _Sea Nymph_. I bet we're the only MARRIED couple having sex on the whole damn yacht." 

"Do you think it's hereditary?" 

"Immorality?" 

"No," she laughed. "That kind of sex drive." 

"I HOPE not. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, look at my parents. If sex drives were hereditary, I'd have the sex drive of a cold fish." 

Abbey giggled and lifted the hand that was cupped over her breast to kiss his palm "Well that certainly isn't the case. I MEANT that kind of predatory sex drive or maybe I should say 'overdrive'. Do you remember those stories that we heard about their mother Lady Beatrice?" 

"How when the family was stationed in India she was taking a maharajah to bed, and maybe more than one?" 

"Yes. A long time ago Pamela's husband Duncan told me there was a rumor that Pamela was actually the maharajah's child, not Edward Marbury's. That once he had his heir, Marbury starting swinging back the other way." 

"And that was?" 

"Young soldier boys." 

Jed shook his head. "Oh what a tangled web. I doubt their sex drives were inherited, but I do think the way they are is a product of their environment, growing up in world where marriage didn't curtail extracurricular activity and where adultery was acceptable and in some cases the norm." 

"Just be thankful that our needs are a little more straightforward." 

"And kept within the confines of our marriage vows." 

"A lot of people aren't so lucky to be as compatible as we are both in and out of bed." 

"Guess we hit the jackpot at Notre Dame," Jed yawned, his eyelids growing heavy. Sex always made him sleepy. 

"Guess we did." She closed her eyes and with Jed still heavy on her breasts, her arm resting along his bare back, they took advantage of not having any children around until they picked them up at Hampton Court in the morning and fell asleep nude in each other's arms. 

**** 

"Mr. President, Mrs. Bartlet." 

"Hmmm..." Jed, never easy to rouse buried his face deeper into Abbey's breasts. 

"Mr. President, sorry to disturb you." 

Abbey cracked an eye gasping when she realized that it was morning and that Lord John Marbury had his head poked into their door and that she was naked from the top of her head to where the sheets twisted around her hips, the only thing shielding her, Jed's torso that lay heavy across her. 

"What are you doing in here?" she hissed. Her efforts to pull up the sheets were for naught as they were tangled between her and Jed's bodies. Grinning with amusement, John shut the door until it was only opened a crack while Abbey crawled out of bed and grabbed the short red silk bathrobe that matched the baby doll nightie she'd worn the night before. 

"Don't worry. I didn't see a thing," he chuckled. 

"If you didn't see a thing, how do you know I should be worried?" 

"Uh...yes...well, you're too quick for me, Abigail." 

"What's going on?" Jed mumbled running a hand over his jaw. 

"John's here." 

"Oh." Jed pulled the blankets up to cover his waist and Abbey opened the door. John's bloodshot eyes looked her up and down from her tousled hair to the short bathrobe that fell just a few inches below her hips. 

"Very nice, Abigail." He nodded with admiration. She looked tiny in her bare feet with her sexy little red painted toes... 

"John, I'm waiting." 

"Yes?" He seemed puzzled for a moment. 

"To find out why you were poking your head into our bedroom door without knocking." 

"Oh, yes, indeed. Well, I did knock, you didn't answer." 

"John," Abbey's voice held a tone of warning. 

"Yes, well, I just received a phone call from Buckingham Palace and there is something that you both should know about before we step off the boat and face the media." 

"What?" Abbey's hand automatically moved to her heart. "Is it the kids? Are they okay?" 

"As far as I know, little Jed and Abbey are fine. Come up on deck for breakfast and I'll tell you everything I know." 


	36. Summer of Us, The

  
Author's notes: The incident with the footman is actually based on true events. However the true story is far scarier in terms of danger and since the Bartlets are still recovering from the effects of the kidnapping I didn't want this to open still healing wounds. When GW went to London on a state visit a reporter arrived at the palace a month before his arrival, got a job at the palace and set about taking pictures to show exactly where he access to. One of those places was the Belgian Suite during the Bush visit. He later printed the pictures and the stories of life in Buckingham Palace basically to show the lack of background checking and security as no one figured out that he was a reporter - he could have been a terrorist and put a bomb under the President's bed. Anyway, I didn't want to go down that kind of path so I changed things up a bit.  


* * *

"So, basically all we know is that this footman, this Clive Pettingbone, was found snooping around in the royal quarters with a camera and was dismissed from his services and that he was the same footman who was assigned to us when we were staying at the Palace." Abbey leaned back in her chair and sipped her mimosa. She had changed into a pair of white Capri pants and sandals with a navy and white summer weight stretchy sweater, her long hair pulled back and clipped into a ponytail with a large barrette, her earlier sexy dishabille just a memory to the disappointment of Lord John. 

"Well, we do know that he had nothing nefarious in mind, at least in regards to physically hurting anyone. It seems to be the latest rage these days for servants to write tell-all books. It turns out that Mr. Clive Pettingbone is going to be paid a large sum to write an expose of what life is like in Buckingham Palace." 

"So this really didn't have anything to do with us?" Jed said. 

"You, it turns out were icing on the cake. The fact that he was assigned to the Belgian Suite during your visit sent him into overdrive. Not only was he going to get the dirt on the royal family members, now he could also supply stories of the American First Couple. It's actually how they caught him. Your things had not yet been moved from your bedroom to Windsor and he was in the empty room taking pictures. Of course the Secret Service didn't think it too odd that the footman would be entering the empty room. They figured he was packing things up but because the children were still in the palace they did deem it necessary to check on him. And, that's when they found him taking pictures." 

"The children? Was he taking pictures of my children?" 

John shook his head negatively and placed a hand over Abbey's to calm her fears. "No, the children were supervised at every moment by their nanny and agents. They were swimming when he was taking his pictures. Do you recognize this man?" He handed a picture to Jed who shrugged. 

"Vaguely." He handed the picture to Abbey. 

"That's the man that brought our coffee cart our first morning." She turned to Jed. "Remember, the one that I said just walked in while we were sleeping." 

"Well, I think you can safely assume that he was doing more than bringing your coffee. I don't mean to be indelicate here, but if this morning was any indication as to how you normally sleep, you should probably be expecting some risqué photos and revelations to be made." 

"How we sleep is none of your business, John," Jed told him firmly. 

"There won't be risqué photos," Abbey said remembering back to the morning in question. "The children slept with us that night. Aislinn woke up disoriented and afraid and came to find us. Nicholas followed. They spent the night in our bed." 

"Thank God for small favors," Jed sighed. "Remind me to give that little girl a big kiss." 

"As if you need reminding to do that," she smiled. "But, speaking of that little girl, you should really go make that overseas call so we can go ashore and see if the kids have arrived yet." 

During the night, the yacht had anchored in front of the Hampton Court Palace where they were picking up the children for the rest of the trip up to Windsor. She watched John and Jed depart noting that John's companions were nowhere to be seen at breakfast. It didn't surprise her; they'd probably been ushered off as soon as they awoke. They had fulfilled their purpose and John was enough of a diplomat not to place his concubines at breakfast with the President and First Lady. Biting into a piece of succulent cantaloupe, she looked up as Lady Pamela shuffled her way across the deck to the breakfast buffet, dark sunglasses covering her eyes. She too was alone, no husband and no studly young bartender. She sat down across from Abbey at the table taking long swallows from her mimosa. 

"Rough night?" Abbey asked sweetly. 

"Long night," Pamela purred and stretched her limbs. 

"I imagine it must be difficult keeping up with a man Basil's age." 

Pamela's eyes narrowed at Abbey's tongue-in-cheek sarcasm, then quickly recovered. "Basil has his strong points. Sex isn't one of them. So, if I have to find a little love on the side that's the price a woman pays for marrying an old man with money." 

"The price you pay?" Abbey gave a snort of derision. "Pamela, that's a price you gladly pay. You've been screwing around on your husband's since day one. And please, for the love of GOD, do not equate what you do with your little gigolos with LOVE. There is a difference between making love and having sex. I'd have thought by now you might have learned that. How sad for you that you haven't. And, as for your little display last night, if you ever so much as THINK to touch my husband again you'll be sorry." 

"Worried, are you? Afraid he might take me up on the offer?" 

Abbey really laughed this time, "If you truly knew my husband, you'd realize what a ludicrous question that is. No, I'm not worried. I've never had to worry about, Jed." She stood with both hands on the table and leaned across. "You see, unlike the way it is with you, sex for us is not a game to be played outside our marriage. It's an act of love to be shared only with each other and I feel sorry for you if you've never felt that." She looked up to see Jed's questioning gaze and left the table to make her way across the deck to join him. He slipped an arm about her waist and started to lead her off the yacht and into the palace's riverside gardens. 

"You had a run in with Pamela?" 

"Just a little one. Don't worry, no hair ripping. I just told her she'd be very sorry if she ever touched you again." 

Jed laughed. "I knew you wouldn't be able to let it go, my little lioness." 

"In my defense, I was taunted." 

"What happened to sticks and stones?" 

She slipped her arm through his. "She wasn't calling me names. She said I didn't want her touching you because I was worried you'd take her up on the offer." 

"Are you kidding?" 

"Look at my face." 

"No, I guess you aren't. It's just...crazy. I've never done anything to make her feel that way. I didn't take her up on her offers thirty years ago and I certainly haven't egged her on." 

"Jed," Abbey smiled. "You don't have to defend yourself. I'm not pissed at you. I was defending you. I basically told her the same thing that you just said." 

"Oh, okay. Thank you." 

"You're very welcome." She leaned her head against his shoulder while they continued to stroll among the flowers that lined the riverbank. "You know, babe, I actually feel sorry for her. I'm not sure she's ever loved anyone but herself. Sex to her is all about the thrill of the chase and filling a biological need. She has no idea of what it can be like when you connect with someone on all the planes of true lovemaking: physical, emotional and spiritual." She paused for a moment seeing the smile on Jed's face. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?" 

"I just think it's cute that you can go from wanting to rip her hair out to feeling sorry for her. The lioness has a tender heart." 

"Well, don't give me too much credit. Just because a part of me feels sorry for her doesn't mean that that I WON'T rip her hair out if she tries laying her hands – or her feet on you again." 

"Mommy! Daddy!" Spotting their mother and father, Nicholas and Aislinn raced breathlessly toward them. "Izzy said we gots to wait for you to go in the maze. Can we go to the maze now?" They each grabbed the hand of a parent and began dragging them through the formal gardens toward the huge maze. Laughing and shrieking with glee, the Bartlet family chased each other around the tall hedges in the shadow of Hampton Court Palace, former home to Henry VIII and supposedly present home to the ghosts of three of his wives – Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour and Catherine Howard. 

The children returned with their parents to the yacht sweaty and exhausted from their romp. John, Pamela and now a dapper Basil were seated on the deck enjoying their leisurely breakfast on the river. 

"My GOODNESS, just LOOK at the two of you." John shook his head at the disheveled children. "It looks as if you've been chasing ghosts around the maze." 

The children giggled. "Mommy says there's no such thing as ghosts," Aislinn said. 

"We chased Mommy and Daddy," Nicholas added. 

"Oh, yes. Who's easier to catch?" 

"Daddy," Aislinn decided. "Mommy's faster. Daddy lets us catch him then he wrestles us and tickles us." 

"He wrestled Mommy too but she gotted mad 'cause she got grass stains on her pants." 

"But then Daddy tickled her and she laughed and called him corrig...corrig." 

"Incorrigible," Abbey supplied, then looked over at John. "I use that word so often I'm surprised they have such a tough time with it." 

John looked her up and down. "I don't see any grass stains." 

"They's on her BUTT," Nicholas giggled causing John to give a raucous laugh. 

Abbey lifted a hand to halt the conversation. "Don't encourage him, please." 

Jed wasn't sure if she was referring to Nicholas or John. 

"Oh, he's delightful, Abigail." John obviously did not share Jed's confusion. 

Encouraged by the response to his grass stain revelation, Nicholas turned to the fun loving lord. "Will you tell us the story of when you was a little boy in India and saw the tiger?" Lord John Marbury had been a visitor to the White House Residence a few times and had regaled the children with his stories from India – both growing up as a boy on his parents tea plantation right after India had gained its independence from Britain, and then later as an adult when he had returned as ambassador. 

"I would be absolutely delighted, Master and Mistress Bartlet." 

The children giggled again. Nobody talked to them the way that Lord John did. So, sipping on the orange juice Abbey had brought them, they sat cross-legged and enraptured at Lord John's feet while he told them stories of tigers and sacred cows, maharajahs and Indian snake charmers. That John Marbury loved India was quite apparent in the passion with which he spoke of the country. This was the Lord John that Abbey and Jed enjoyed – extremely intelligent, funny, passionate and philosophical. They were as fascinated by his stories of another time, another world, and another culture as the twins were. 

**** 

"Mommy, Mommy, lookit lookit!" Aislinn scrambled against the confines of her car seat. One hundred feet above the River Thames at the top of the long straight lane sat the massive fortress built by William the Conqueror known later as Windsor Castle. The great towers and tall stone walls filled the fairytale image of a medieval castle far more in the eyes of both child and adult than the more traditional building of Buckingham Palace. As the motorcade pulled to a halt in the courtyard and Nicholas looked up at the tall gate before him, he turned to his father with wide eyes. 

"Daddy, is this where King Arthur lived?" 

Jed smiled and ruffled the boy's hair. He had been reading Nicholas and Aislinn the children's version of the Knights of the Round Table and the boy was as fascinated by the story as Jed had been as a young boy when he had spent hours pouring over the romantic tales of chivalrous knights. "No, I'm afraid not. William the Conqueror came along quite a while after the mythical time of Camelot." 

"Who's William the Concor?" 

"He was the Duke of Normandy which is in France. He and his troops sailed across the English Channel and defeated the Saxons to take control of England proclaiming himself King William. He built a fortress here at Windsor that grew and grew over the centuries until it became this huge castle that you see today." 

"What's a Saxon?" 

"The Saxon's were a Germanic people that migrated here after the fall of the Roman Empire. For centuries..." 

"Jed." Abbey reached out to touch his arm. "Not that this isn't fascinating and I'm sure Nicholas would love for you to finish this story tonight at bedtime, but the Queen is over eighty years old and she is standing out there waiting to greet us. I don't think she'd appreciate having to wait while you recite the entire history of Great Britain." 

"I'll tell you more about it tonight," he promised his son, while helping him out of the car seat. There was nothing more that he enjoyed than imparting his vast knowledge into impressionable young minds even if those young minds were only three and half years of age. Nicholas agreed, as he was excited to get out and explore the castle. However, his mind was still on the conversation in the car and when he approached the Queen he looked up at her with all innocence. 

"Since you're the Queen, do you know King Arthur?" he asked. 

Prince Philip burst into laughter and the Queen's lips twitched. "I may be very old but I'm not old enough to have known King Arthur." 

"How about William Concor?" 

"William the Conqueror?" 

"Uh huh." 

"No, I'm afraid he was before my time as well." 

"Oh," Nicholas slid his hands into his front pant pockets and kicked his toe into the gravel with disappointment. 

"However, inside there are some marvelous suits of armor that the English knights used to wear if you'd like to have a look." 

"Okay!" Nicholas moved from disappointment to excitement in a heartbeat. 

"Me too," Aislinn dashed from her mother's side to her brother's lest she be left out. 

"Yes, of course. And I have something special for you to see as well. My grandmother had a wonderful little dollhouse that I thought you might like to have a look at. We'll stop there first." 

Aislinn nodded eagerly and they were off. As they were about to enter the room with the dollhouse, Abbey stopped and bent down to look her children in the eyes. "I want you both to remember that this is not like Aislinn's doll house at home. It's not something you play with, so I don't want you to touch a single thing. You let the grown ups show you how it works." 

The dollhouse was actually interesting to the entire Bartlet family. Made for Queen Mary, it was a perfect three-foot home in miniature. The walls were covered with real silk and the marble floors covered by authentic wool Persian carpets. Artists of the day had painted special miniature portraits for the walls and authors like Rudyard Kipling wrote and published tiny books to put in the library. Real wine filled the tiny bottles in the wine cellar and electricity provided lighting, a tiny gramophone that played music and a working elevator. Running water even enabled a toilet to flush. Aislinn was enthralled by the whole thing, in girl child heaven dreaming of being the matron of such a house. But, what caught Nicky's attention was the working dumbwaiter. After the third time asking the tour guide to make it go up and down, she asked him if he'd like to give it a try. 

Nicky's eyes moved to his mother then he looked sadly back at the guide and the Queen. "My mommy says I not allowed to touch a SINGLE thing. Sometimes I break stuff." 

Aislinn nodded. "He flushed my horsie down the toilet." 

"Well, if it's all right with your mother maybe we could work it together." 

Nicholas turned hopeful eyes his mother's way and she smiled at him with a nod. So, Nicholas and the tour guide worked the dumbwaiter while Aislinn examined every other inch of the house, her imagination running away with her. As they left the room to go into the castle and look at the suits of armor, she informed her parents that she would be asking Santa Claus for a dollhouse just like Queen Mary's for Christmas. Abbey turned to Jed, saw the contemplation in his eyes. 

"Don't even think about it," she warned. 

**** 

"Abbey, I am NOT wearing that." Jed looked down at the riding attire that she had laid out on the bed for him as they were going to be horseback riding with the Queen while the twins took their afternoon nap. 

"What's wrong with it?" 

"I'll look like an ass." 

"You'll look like an English gentleman." 

"I'm NOT an English gentleman." 

"Jed." 

"Abbey, does it really matter what I wear?" 

"Of course it matters. This may be a private visit but you know we have to pose for pictures for the press. You don't want to look sloppy." 

"Are you saying I look sloppy?" Jed looked down at his oversized sweatshirt and jeans then over to Abbey in her fawn jodhpurs, knee high black riding boots and tweed jacket her long hair pulled back into a ponytail. Compared to her elegance he did look a bit sloppy. "Don't answer that. Tell you what. How about a compromise? I'll wear the shirt and the tweed jacket but I'm going to wear my jeans." 

Abbey put her hand out to shake his. "Deal." She watched him button up his dress shirt and snap his jacket up over his head then stepped forward to smooth his shirt over his chest. 

"You were right. This is much better." 

"Distinguished?" 

"And very sexy." 

"And here I was settling for just not looking like an ass." 

"Believe me, you DON'T look like an ass. Far, far from it." 

**** 

After posing for a few press photos, the threesome headed off along the wooded trails of the property. They walked the horses rather sedately so they could talk. The Queen gave them the history of Windsor Castle in a way that was not dull or boring but filled with anecdotes that brought the past to life. For Abbey and Jed, both extremely interested in history, it was quite amazing to think that while the people the Queen talked about were figures they knew of through the history books, for her they were actually family stories, her lineage going all the way back through ages to William the Conqueror. Then, being the gracious hostess that she was, and not liking at all to talk about herself she moved the conversation to the Bartlets. 

"At dinner the other evening, you said that you lived on a farm before you were elected to the White House. Is that where you learned to ride?" she asked Jed. 

"Yes. Although, as you can probably tell, I'm not really an avid rider. Abbey and my girls love it though. Zoey, our second youngest daughter was really quite involved in the riding circuit in New England and won many awards and trophies. Ellie and Elizabeth enjoyed it as well but it was more of a fun thing for them,. For Zoey it was fun and serious." 

In getting to know Jed Bartlet better, the importance of his family had become quickly apparent to the Queen. She had never met the Bartlets' older daughters but after talking with the President and First Lady, she felt like she knew Elizabeth, Ellie and Zoey. And she felt like she knew the Bartlets a little better as well. Refreshingly open and candid, they both spoke of their love of nature and of the camping and hiking trips, they had taken with their children in the national park system back home in America. They were an intelligent, committed and extremely engaging couple. And, since she hadn't gotten the chance to speak much with Abbey at the state dinner, she now was able to talk with her about her work as a doctor. Abbey spoke honestly of the difficulties of remaining a physician while performing her duties as First Lady and the demands of being a mother. It was obvious that she had a lot of passion for all the roles that she played and that she worked very hard to balance them out. And, when the conversation moved back onto the topic of horses, a shared love of both the Queen and the First Lady, Jed hung back a bit. 

He watched the two small women move just ahead along the river, both stiff backed in the riding posture they'd been taught as young girls, the older with a head scarf, the younger trailing a bright ponytail down her back. Separated by three decades, by culture, by generation, by temperament and by experience, the two still found common ground in their shared love of horses and riding and also as women discussing the difficulties of the Queen's grandchildren and Abbey's children growing up under the watchful eye of an ever increasingly rabid media – their every mistake fodder for the tabloids. 

When they returned to the castle, the Queen retired for a rest while Abbey and Jed picked up a picnic hamper and blanket from a waiting footman and walked out along the grounds with the newly wakened children looking for just the right spot to have their picnic tea. They found it on the bluff above the Thames. One AP photographer had accompanied them for the quick family photo op they were going to allow for posterity and to that photographer's delight, they had chosen the perfect spot for a photo shoot. As he looked through his lens, he could see the picture before him splashed on magazines and newspapers all over the world. With Windsor Castle rising majestically behind them in the background, the First Family were seated on the tartan picnic blanket. Abbey still wore her tweed jacket, slim fitting riding pants and riding boots but Jed – in his jeans – had discarded his jacket and had his shirtsleeves rolled up over his forearms. Each adult leaned in with one elbow on the large picnic basket while their other hands rested on the shoulder of one of their children. The two flaxen haired children in jeans, T-shirts and their cowboy boots were leaning back against the picnic table grinning broadly. Rarely did one get a perfect shot, but today was the day. And, as he packed his equipment to depart, the President approached him for a personal copy of the picture, which he gladly promised. 

With the photographer gone, Abbey and Jed pulled out their gourmet tea prepared by the palace chef, especially enjoying the delicious fluffy scones and Devonshire clotted cream. Then once their hunger was assuaged, they all walked down the bluff to skip stones over the river. While they skipped the stones and searched the bank for more, Jed filled the children with more stories of the Knights of the Round Table until they soon gave up any pretense of looking for flat rocks and simply sat in the tall grass to listen to their father. Their mother joined them, stretching out in the grass behind them, to gaze up at the puffy clouds that lazily swirled in the sky above her. Surrounded by the fecund scent of river and grass, the breeze lightly caressing her body, her eyelids soon grew heavy and she dozed off. Turning to ask her mother a question, Aislinn was the first to notice that she was asleep. 

"Daddy, Mommy's sleeping." 

"Sssh...she must be all tuckered out. Let her sleep." 

"Poor, Mama." Aislinn stroked her mother's hair the way that Abbey did with her. "She's all sleepy." Jed smiled at the reciprocal tender love his daughter displayed for her mother. A little while later after he and the children picked up the remnants of their picnic, they went back down to wake up Abbey so they could head back to the castle. 

"I wake up Mama!" Nicholas started to run. 

"No, I wanna wake her up!" Aislinn bolted after him. Jed caught up to them before they reached her. 

"Hold on. I don't want you jumping on your mother the way you jump on me. I have a better idea." He bent to pick a couple of flowers and soon flower petals were being dropped on Abbey's face. She stirred, brushing at them with irritation until she heard the tell tale soft giggles of her offspring and then pretended to stay asleep. Unable to rouse her quickly enough, Nicholas got a better idea. He dipped his hands in the cold river water then raced back to his mother lifting her shirt and pressing his cold wet hands into her warm belly. Abbey gasped and sat straight up seeing the culprit right away. 

"You little IMP!" She quickly got to her feet, chasing her shrieking son as he raced toward his father laughing. 

"Save me, Daddy, save me!" He threw himself into Jed's arms and Jed quickly lifted him up onto his shoulders. 

"You're safe now on your gallant steed, Sir Nicholas." Jed turned to face Abbey head on, the late afternoon sun shining on the faces of father and son – the similarities between the two causing her breath to catch in her throat. Golden highlights danced in their respective bronze and ash-blond hair and identical bright blue eyes glowered at her fiercely while heartbreakingly sweet grins made a mockery of the pretend fierceness. They were so beautiful it caused quick tears to sting in her eyes. 

"You can't get me!" Nicholas taunted her. Knowing what was expected of her with the taunt, she quickly closed the distance between them lifting her fingers to tickle her son's ribs after Jed turned away from her to make their getaway. 

"You think you've escaped me, do you?" 

"Mommy, Mommy, stop it." Nicholas squirmed and giggled on the back of his father's neck. "I'm gonna go pee pee." 

Jed's eyes widened and he quickly turned around to face Abbey. "Yes, Mommy, stop it. I'd rather he not pee pee on the back of my neck." 

"Mommy, will you give me a horsie ride too?" Aislinn lifted her arms to Abbey. Balancing Nicholas on his back, Jed bent and lifted his daughter to settle her on Abbey's shoulders and then the foursome was off to the castle. 

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were walking by a large window overlooking the courtyard when they heard laughter and singing coming from below. They paused to watch the Bartlets come through the gate from the wooded pastures with their children on their shoulders and their laughter ringing out across the courtyard. 

"They seem to be a happy family," Elizabeth said. 

"Hmm..." Philip shrugged. "I still can't believe Bartlet turned down an afternoon stalking to go to that theme park with his family tomorrow." 

"It's his birthday." 

"And what better way to spend it then hunting?" 

"Evidently he doesn't agree. He'd rather be with his family. Besides, didn't he say he doesn't hunt?" 

"Yes," Philips guffaw let her know exactly what he thought of that. "He said he knows how to shoot but that he's never killed a living creature with his own hand and won't do it. Sounds a bit weak if you ask me." 

Elizabeth gazed down on the family below her, watched the President swing his son around before setting him down then lift his daughter off her mother's shoulders planting a kiss on top of her bright head before placing her gently on the ground. "Sounds like a man who lives by his principles to me." 

Philip's eyes followed his wife's. He was a stern man, a man of discipline. He did not laugh and rough house with his children and, in fact, only found them interesting at all when they were old enough to learn to hunt with him. Jed Bartlet's interest in his three-year-olds was a mystery to him. Like most aristocratic fathers, he'd barely even known his children when they were three. So, when he'd heard the President's plans for his birthday he had been shocked. Legoland indeed. 


	37. Summer of Us, The

"We'll take that, thanks." Still in her bathrobe with the children at her side, Abigail Bartlet met the footman wheeling their breakfast cart down the hall just as he reached the suite she shared with her family. 

"Yes, ma'am." Although still bewildered, the footman was not surprised to see the First Lady. The kitchen had been warned through the Queen's courtiers that Mrs. Bartlet and her children wanted to deliver the President's breakfast to him in person. They weren't sure what to make of that as they'd never had such a request but they always did as they were instructed. 

"I wanna push it." 

"No, I wanna push it." 

"Ssh..." Abbey took hold of the cart and looked down at her warring children. "You're going to wake Daddy and ruin the surprise. You can both push the cart." 

Placated, the children pushed the cart forward as Abbey opened the door and they began to sing. 

" _Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear, Daddy. Happy birthday to you._ " 

Pretending to still be asleep, Jed felt the bed sink just a bit beside him and soft lips press into his forehead. Abbey. There was no better way to wake up then to his wife's lips and soft womanly scent. Well, there was, but not when there were tittering children in the room. 

"Happy birthday, snuggle bear," she whispered against his lips as she gave him another kiss. The children giggled louder at the term of endearment and Jed finally opened his eyes. 

"What's going on here? What's all this?" He gave a good show of blustering surprise in spite of the fact that it was Bartlet family tradition to receive breakfast in bed on your birthday and he sat up against his pillows. 

"It's you BIRFDAY!" The twins scrambled up onto the bed with their father climbing over him to give him smacking loud birthday morning kisses. 

"Ahhh...so it is, so it is." 

"And we're going to LEGOLAND!" 

"So I heard." Jed gave Abbey a wry smile as she placed the breakfast tray over his lap and began to serve him from the cart. "I'm not exactly sure how I ended up going to Legoland on my birthday, but such is my fate." 

"You don't fool me," Abbey tenderly brushed the hair back off his forehead. "You're as big a kid as they are." She tucked a napkin into the collar of the T-shirt he was sleeping in. "And," she bent down whispering softly into his ear, "for being such a terrific father, you will be amply rewarded with a nice adult birthday present tonight." 

"I will?" 

Abbey nodded with a sultry look that had Jed looking forward to everything the day and night might bring. 

"Mommy, you phone is ringing." At the sound of the distinctive ring, Aislinn grabbed for her mother's purse and brought it to her, watching as Abbey pulled it out and flipped it open. 

"Hello...Oh, hi, Hon... Why, yes he is, he's right here. I suppose you have something to say to him...Okay, hold on." Grinning broadly, Abbey handed Jed the phone to receive his middle daughter's birthday wishes. Both Zoey and Elizabeth had called the night before – Zoey because she would be gone all day hiking with Millie and Brynn and Elizabeth so that Annie and Gus could talk to him as well. Abbey knew how much the calls to dear old dad meant to Jed and was thrilled that their girls hadn't forgotten his special day. 

When the conversation was over, Jed handed Abbey back the phone with a funny look on his face. "Sam was there," he said simply. 

Abbey sighed. "Jed, it's only 1:30 in the morning back home. Ellie works late and Congress is not in session. Just because Sam was at Ellie's doesn't mean he's spending the night. They could have had a late date." She knew that in all probability given how long they had been dating and the intensity of their feelings that her daughter could very well be sleeping with Sam Seaborn but she also knew that it was something her husband would not want to hear about or contemplate. 

"No, no, I know that." Jed's hand brushed away the very idea. Abbey smiled at his dismissal; Jed Bartlet's daughters were all virgin princesses in spite of any evidence to the contrary. "I was just thinking...you know, I think this thing might be getting serious between them. What's your take?" 

"I think this thing is getting serious between them. I think it's been serious since last spring when Ellie said she loved him." 

"Girls today – they're in and out of love so fast it makes your head spin." 

"Not Ellie, and not REAL love. She's never been emotionally frivolous." 

"I wonder where she gets that?" 

They both laughed as they said "YOU" in unison, then Jed's face turned thoughtful again as he munched on a link of sausage. 

"Ellie's such a loving person and she has such a tender heart. I don't want her to be hurt." 

"Of course you don't." She reached for his hand. "Do you think Sam is going to hurt her?" 

Jed shook his head negatively. "Sam's heart is always in the right place. He'd never intentionally hurt her or anyone he cares about." 

"If I were a betting woman, which I am, I'd say that it won't be long before we hear wedding bells." 

"Bite your tongue, woman." 

"She can't stay your little girl forever." 

"Sure she can." 

Aislinn snuggled up to Jed's side, smearing bacon greased fingertips on his T-shirt and told him definitively, "I'm you little girl, Daddy." 

"That you are, sunshine." He smiled kissing the top of her head. "I'm a lucky man indeed to have so many little girls." 

"And a little boy," Nicholas reminded him through a mouth filled with scrambled eggs. 

Jed winked at him. "Of course. And one special little boy." 

**** 

"Daddy! Nicky! We gonna get you!" 

Jed turned to see his tiny little daughter driving her battery operated boat toward him and Nicholas with a fierce look on her face and her laughing mother at her side. 

"Watch out, she's on the warpath," Abbey called out. 

"Nick, turn right!" 

Nicholas yanked on the steering wheel and turned to his father throwing his hands up in the air with confusion. "What's right?!" 

Laughing, Jed leaned over and attempted to help his son steer their boat out of the path of his mother and sister but with peals of laughter, the ladies bashed into them. 

Legoland had turned out to be a big hit for both children. The theme park, with attractions built almost entirely with Legos, was an eye opening revelation to them since they played with Legos quite frequently. They were also thrilled that their friend Leo Blair and his parents had joined them and that they had the whole park to themselves. For safety reasons, they had come on a day when the park was not usually open. The age restrictions were, however, still in effect and because the children were so young, their parents had to accompany them on many of the rides which was why they were at their sides while smashing into each other in battery operated bumper boats. 

After the boats, they all took the Orient Expedition train ride through the park, a boat ride down a lazy circling river through a land of fairytales brought to life, soared above the park on both the Ferris Wheel and the Sky Rider which gave them a tour from twenty feet above the ground and took the Dino Safari ride passing by animated Lego brick dinosaurs that had the children gasping. After a lunch of pizza slices, which they ate on a picnic table in the Enchanted Forest, they ended up at the colorful musical carousal. And, in spite of the children's protests that they didn't need any grown-ups by their sides, the adults took their dutiful places next their offspring. As the carousal circled around, the youngsters' attention was instantly grabbed by the large rollicking waterslide that rose up next to it. They had barely dismounted their horses before they were off and running towards it. 

"We wanna do it, Daddy," Aislinn turned to her father with pleading eyes. 

"It's not really that hot out." Jed eyed the height of the slide. 

"Aw, since when are you cold?" Abbey enjoyed her role as devil's advocate. 

"I get cold when I'm WET," he sulked. 

"And it has nothing to do with having to climb to the top of that thing? It is pretty high." Jed did not like heights and Abbey was well aware of that. 

"Absolutely not." Jed turned from his wife to his little daughter. "We'll have to go through the hassle of changing into our bathing suits," he tried to dissuade her. 

"That's okay, Mommy brung them." 

Jed turned to Abbey who pointed to the duffel bag a Secret Service agent carried then kicked his toe into the gravel much as Nicholas had done upon his arrival to the castle. "Well, isn't Mommy the smart one." 

"She's REALLY smart." Nicholas agreed, not exactly getting his father's sarcasm. 

Wanting to distract the kids, Jed turned to the snack stand. "Look they have those marshmallows dipped in Belgian chocolate that you guys wanted earlier." 

"Jed Bartlet," Abbey's eyes widened with exasperation. 

"What?" 

"You already promised them ice cream. They are not having chocolate marshmallows AND ice cream on top of the pizza and soda they had for lunch." 

"But, Mommy, we want them both." Nicholas wanted to make sure that was clearly understood. 

"I know you do, pumpkin. But, it's my job as your mom not to let you have everything that you want if it isn't good for you. You can have either an ice cream or the chocolate marshmallow, but just remember you're going to be having ice cream at Daddy's birthday party tonight." 

Aislinn decided to try the marshmallow since she'd be having ice cream later that night but Nicholas could never get enough ice cream and chose to have a cone. 

However, if Jed had been hoping to distract the children from their interest in the waterslide, he was sadly mistaken. As soon as her chocolate marshmallow stick was gone, Aislinn looked up at him with big green eyes. 

"I'm ready now." 

"You sure you don't want to go play on the playground with Leo?" 

"I'm sure." 

"You still want to go down that slide?" 

"Uh huh," she nodded vigorously, curls bouncing. 

Jed sighed deeply. "Okay then, let's go." 

"Yay!" Nicholas was already racing to the changing rooms. 

Abbey patted him Jed on the behind. "Reward, Jed. Just think about your reward." 

And so within minutes, the First Family, now in bathing suits, was shrieking with fear and glee as they jumped onto plastic dinghies – one parent with one child – and splashed down the winding track to the pool below. It proved to be so much fun, they did it a couple more times before leaving. 

As much as Abbey had teased Jed about his reward later that evening, his true reward was the weight of his exhausted daughter heavy in his arms her head on his shoulder as he carried her into Windsor Castle. 

"Where is we?" she asked sleepily. 

"We're back at the castle." He nuzzled into her hair. "Did you have a good time today, Princess?" 

"I had the BESTEST time, Daddy." 

Nicholas peered at him with heavy eyes over Abbey's shoulder. "Me too," he murmured with a big yawn. 

Jed smiled with contentment. The truth of the matter was, he didn't need any reward or incentives to spend time with his children. They had made the first day of his fifty-third year on this planet a thoroughly enjoyable one. 

**** 

"There's someone here I think you're really going to want to see." Abbey took Jed's hand and led him across the room. The birthday party being thrown by the Queen for him was not a surprise, however, some of the guests were. His eyes grew wide and a smile touched his lips as he saw the elderly lady sitting in a large comfortable chair, a walker at her side. 

"Mrs. Tigglesworth!" He bent to kiss a cheek as soft and fragile as tissue paper. 

"Hello, Mr. President," she smiled happily and took his hand. 

"Just Jed to you." He cast an accusing, slightly hurt look Abbey's way. One of his wishes when asked what he'd like to do while in England had been to visit Mrs. Tigglesworth in her nursing home; however, he had been told the visit was impossible as she didn't want any visitors. 

"I never in a million years thought the day I let my flat to a shaggy haired American student that he would one day be President of the United States and issue me an invitation to attend his birthday at Windsor Castle with the Queen." Mary Tigglesworth's gaze moved across the elegant room. "This is all like a dream. I just wish George was here to see it." 

Comprehension filled Jed's eyes that still lay on Abbey. This wasn't just about trying to surprise him for his birthday by leading him to believe their former landlady and surrogate mother had not wanted to see him. This was about Mrs. Tigglesworth getting out of the nursing home where she was going downhill frighteningly fast, to attend a once in a lifetime evening at Windsor Castle. While Jed chatted with the older woman and introduced her to his two youngest children, Colin approached with a matronly looking woman at his side. On the plump side, she wore a high-necked dress with flats her dark hair streaked liberally with silver pulled back into a rather severe bun. There was something about her that looked slightly familiar but Jed simply could not place her. 

"You don't recognize me, Mr. President?" It was the smile and the twinkle in her eye that gave her away and Jed's eyes widened with surprise. The transformation from anorexic heroin waif to upper class matron was absolutely incredible. 

"Pippa?" 

"The one and only. Am I allowed to give you a kiss?" 

"Of course. I'm not royalty, just the President." He stood and embraced the woman, then stepped back as Pippa drew a tall, dignified, balding man to her side. 

"This is my husband, Rodney. We've been together twenty-five years," she said proudly. 

"That's wonderful. It's so nice to meet you, Rodney." Abbey smiled warmly and shook the man's hand. Jed followed suit although still in shock. "How did you both meet?" 

"In a psychiatric hospital." Pippa might have changed physically but she was still the same open woman they had known in the early 70's. "After you moved back to the States, I spent the next five years partying, doing drugs, sleeping around, crashing in stranger's flats. I guess I just never knew how I miserable I was. I started off as a fun loving party girl but after a while it wasn't so much fun anymore. I was a mess. I accidentally overdosed and ended up at a psychiatric hospital. They thought I'd intentionally tried to kill myself. It turned out to be the best thing for me, though. I detoxed, went through rehab and met Rodney. He was a psychiatrist, although not mine – that would have been a conflict of interest. When I was released from the hospital, he asked if he could call me and the rest, as they say, is history." 

"Do you have any children?" 

Pippa nodded and pulled out her wallet. "Phoebe and Nigel. They're in University. Sometimes I still have to pinch myself to see if it's all real and not some LSD induced delusion. I was such a self destructive amoral little thing. If it weren't for Rodney, I'm not sure I ever would have gotten my act together." 

"You were just confused, darling." Rodney stroked her shoulder with a look of pure adoration on his face. Abbey smiled at Jed. They were both happy for their old friend, as they had both feared that Pippa had ended up dead in a gutter somewhere. 

"Now, do you have any pictures of the first little baby I ever fell in love with?" Pippa asked. 

"Of course I do, but she's not a baby anymore." Knowing they'd be seeing old friends, Abbey had brought an envelope filled with pictures of Elizabeth. 

"Oh," Pippa's fingers touched her lips as she sat to look through the pictures that followed the young girl's life. There she was oh so serious on her first day of school in a plaid skirt and white blouse, her straight copper hair pulled back by a wide head band; and then more lighthearted, laughing on Jed's lap with Abbey's glasses sitting crooked on her nose and her heavy medical textbook on her lap. There she was sweet and innocent in her white dress and veil on the day she made her first communion; and at the same age, holding the hand of a little strawberry blond toddler that must be her sister Ellie while they sat on a rock dipping their toes into a cold mountain stream. There she was as a pre-teen laughing to the wind in the apple orchard as she lifted another toddler, her sister Zoey, to reach for a dangling red apple; and then older as a full-fledged teen standing in a paddock in shorts and tank top with her gangly arms around the neck of a big black horse her waist length fiery hair shiny against his gleaming black coat. There she was dignified but smiling proudly in her cap and gown at graduation, the gold tassel indicating she had graduated with honors and just a year later on a porch swing looking impossibly young as she gave her newborn daughter Anabeth a bottle. The last picture was a family portrait with her husband and two children in the Rose Garden at the White House. 

"She turned out beautiful. Of course I've seen her on the telly, but it's different seeing these pictures of her growing up." 

"Why she look at pitchers of 'Lizabeth?" Nicholas asked his mother. 

"'Lizabeth is our sister," Aislinn said in a proprietary way that made everyone laugh. 

"Pippa knew Elizabeth when she was just a little girl your age," Abbey told them. "And she hasn't seen her in a very, very long time." 

Pippa looked at the two youngest Bartlets seeing shades of the child Elizabeth had been on their faces and thinking back to the pretty baby girl with her mother's bright hair and her father's big blue eyes. Remembering the love and affection she'd had for little Elizabeth Anne Bartlet had given her the confidence to have her own children once her life had been straightened out. She might have been afraid that she couldn't truly love a man but she knew for sure that she could love a child. 

**** 

"You got me a crystal ball?" Jed looked up from the frosted globe that he held in his hands with a furrowed brow. The two bright and rather garish ties – one with little hearts on it and the other with dancing frogs –that the twins had given him were draped around his neck as he opened Abbey's gift. 

"It's not a crystal ball," she laughed. "It's 'The Stock Orb'." 

"And 'The Stock Orb' is?" 

"It's the glass ball that you're holding in your hand. You can set it on your desk in the Oval Office and it will glow different colors to indicate changes in financial markets. It glows yellow when the market is unchanging, bright green when the market is high and bright red when the market is down." 

"This really works?" Jed was hardly a techno wiz and it was usually the women in his family who brought him up to snuff on the latest technology. 

"Would I buy you something that doesn't work?" She turned to the group of people surrounding them. "You have to understand. This is coming from a man who, when I bought an iPod to use for working out, thought it was something NASA had created." 

Jed joined the guests in laughter but was still eyeing the globe with boyish interest and awe. "This is seriously cool, Abbey." 

"I'm glad you like it. Of course I thought of you right away when I saw it, considering nearly the first thing out of your mouth every morning is 'how's the market doing?'. It's rather cute that you still think one day I might actually have already checked on that for you in between working out and getting your children up and fed and dressed." 

Jed smiled at her in response to her teasing and tapped his heart with his fist before moving on to the next gift. 

Leo sidled up beside Abbey. "That was a great gift. Where did you find it?" 

"The Science Museum. In the gift shop. You can buy different ones and get them to track anything that is Internet based; it doesn't just have to be the Dow Jones. I bought one for the Residence that will track the weather so I can just wake up and know how to dress the kids for school without checking the Weather Channel." 

Leo's eyes widened. "That IS seriously cool." 

**** 

"Abbey?" Jed entered the bedroom after a quick meeting with his staff about their return to D.C. the following day. His eyes began moving around the bedroom taking in the flickering scented candles and the bed. A clean sheet covered the duvet and a stack of towels lay on the pillow. "Abbey?" he called out again. "What's going on here?" 

The bathroom door opened and Abbey leaned sexily against the doorframe wearing only a black and red sheer lace bustier with a matching lace thong. Garters held up her black stockings and stiletto heels made her toned legs look a mile long. 

"Lock the door behind you, Mr. President. I don't want any interruptions tonight." 

Jed swallowed, his pulse already racing and turned to do her bidding. When the door was locked, she started to move to him, her voice a breathy rendition of Marilyn Monroe to JFK. 

" _Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday...Mr. President..._ " Her hands played over his chest while her lips gently nuzzled against his jaw finishing the song with words muffled against his warm skin. " _Happy birthday to you._ " She stood back from him then running her tongue along her bottom lip as she reached her arms up behind her head arching her back in a way that thrust her full breasts toward him, the fabric sliding to give him a hint of areola, She released the clip that held up her hair allowing it to tumble down over her shoulders and down her back. Years of experience had taught her just how much that move turned him on. 

The blood seemed to rush from Jed's head to other more vital organs and he couldn't think straight, couldn't seem to form a complete sentence. He reached out a hand to take a few bright strands of her hair between his thumb and index finger rubbing the silky tresses back and forth. Finally he spoke, "What's all this?" 

"This, Mr. President, is your adult birthday present." 

"I thought that was the 'Stock Orb'." 

"That was a toy meant to appeal to your boyish side." She began working at the knot in his tie to rid him of it. "Tonight is all about the man." 

Jed's gaze moved back to the bed, this time noticing various bottles on the nightstand to accompany the sheet and towels. Excitement coursed through his veins as he wondered just what kind of naughtiness his wife had planned for them this evening. Abbey flicked a switch and suddenly the low sensual voice of Etta James singing "I Want to be Loved by You, and Only You" filled the room. Then, she moved back to him, surveying him as if he were a prize. 

"You are far, far too over dressed for this evening," she decided. 

Jed's hands immediately went to his belt. 

"Wait, wait, wait," she stopped him. "We have all night. Allow me." After undoing his belt buckle and feeling the swell of growth at his crotch, she abandoned that task and instead moved to unbutton his shirt. Parting the material with each button, she released her lips followed over the flesh she exposed. Jed gave a sharp intake of breath when her tongue inserted itself into his naval while she tugged his shirttails out of his pants. But, just when he thought she might move lower, she stood and pushed the shirt back off his shoulders to fall on the floor then surveyed him again with shining eyes. She reached her palms out to rest on his pectoral muscles rubbing gently. The powerful, tanned chest sprinkled with bronze and silver hair was utterly irresistible to her. 

"God, you are such a fine, handsome man." She stepped back from him and continued her surveillance making her way behind him. She loved his back, the way his broad shoulders tapered down to his waist to the firm rise of his buttocks. She slid her hands into the back of his loosened pants squeezing him. "You've got a great ass, Mr. President," she murmured into his shoulder, feeling him shiver. Her hands withdrew trailing over to his stomach while she pressed her breasts into his back. Her lips continued to tease his shoulders as her hands slipped this time into the front of his pants feeling the firm hard bulge in his boxer/briefs. "Oh, now that feels very nice," she whispered breathlessly against his flesh. Her fingertips gently traced him feeling his heat and power and yet hearing his ultimate vulnerability in the moan that escaped his throat. 

She stopped then, backing up and Jed protested. 

"There will be more of that," she promised. "We're just getting a little ahead of ourselves." Slowly, she tugged his pants down his waist admiring the view of his firm rear in the stretchy underwear. There was even more to admire when she came around to the front to see the formidable tent of his erection. She took his hand and drew him to a comfortable chair. "Like I said, we have all night." Once he was seated, she moved to the fully stocked liquor cabinet – extracting a bottle and pouring the amber liquid over the ice she had placed in a glass – then returned to him handing him the glass. He took a sip, then frowned as she disappeared behind him. 

"Where are you going?" he asked. 

"I'm right here. Just enjoy your drink. Put your head back and relax." Gently her fingertips began to thread their way through his thick honey brown hair, massaging his scalp and temples until she could feel the tension of his arousal give way to complete relaxation. 

"Not that I'm complaining," he sighed with pleasure as her fingers moved from his cheekbones to his temples and back through his hair. "But what are your plans for tonight?" 

"I figured that I owed you a little two-bit whore." 

Jed grabbed one of her hands pulling it to his lips to kiss her palm. "You're never a whore, Abbey. You may play one, but you never are one." 

Abbey smiled and kissed the top of his head. "Well, tonight is your birthday and I plan to give you a night of pleasure that will certainly make you glad that you were born." 

"Well, all RIGHT then." 

Abbey laughed at the enthusiasm in his retort. "Sounds like you're ready for the night to begin." 

"Absolutely." 

"Well then, let's get to the bed." She gave him her hand and pulled him to his feet. "Spread a few towels out over the bed, take those off," she pointed to his underwear, "and lay flat on your belly. I'm going to give you a massage" 

Jed did as told, thankful that his massive erection had subsided enough to allow him to lie comfortably on his stomach. He turned his face to the side to watch Abbey where she was bent over the bedside table choosing her oils, the bare rounded swells of her buttocks exposed by the tiny thong. His groin responded to her presentation and he reached a hand out to squeeze the soft flesh. "God, I love your bum." 

Abbey pushed his hand away. 

"Uh, uh, uh...No touching. Not yet, anyway." She turned to him allowing herself a moment to enjoy his masculine beauty as the candlelight flickered over his deliciously nude form. She sat beside him pouring a little oil into her hands before massaging it into his neck and shoulders expertly knowing where to find the tension and knots, enjoying the feel of his muscles beneath her fingertips. He shivered as she ran her fingers from his armpits down to his hips and over his firm rear, groaning into his pillow as she licked tiny circles over his lower back then moved up his spine breathing softly into the nape of his neck. She pooled the oil into the soft dusting of hair that grew in the dip at the base of his spine and moved upwards. Ever so gently with tears stinging her eyes, her lips played liked a healing balm over the white scar near his spine where a bullet had lodged and nearly taken him from her. 

"Mmmm..." Jed mumbled sleepily. The woodsy slightly floral fragrance of the oil, the soft candlelight and the low romantic music had combined with Abbey's sensual massage to put him into a state of deep relaxation. "What's in that stuff you're using? My whole back feels warm and tingly." 

"That's probably the clary sage, it's a warming agent. The oil is an aphrodisiac blend." 

"Of what?" 

"Let's see," Abbey's voice was husky as she gave him the clinical properties of the herbs while her lips continued to move along his spine and the back of his neck, her warm breath causing goose bumps to break out over his flesh. "Well, first of all, I'm wearing Ylang-Ylang body lotion. Did you know that women in India use it in their hair at night so that their husbands will be drawn to them to make love." 

"I did not, but I don't think you'll ever have any worries in that department. I'm always drawn to making love to you – ylang-ylang or no ylang-ylang." 

She gave a husky laugh and nibbled at his earlobe. "The herbs in the oil I'm using on you include jasmine which releases endorphins that contribute to desire and sandalwood which is relaxing and calming and allows you to open up to receive love and warmth" 

She paused for a moment trailing her long hair sensuously along his back tickling and teasing him. "There's cedarwood in it to add a masculine touch and last but not least," her hands moved to knead his buttocks, "just a hint of rose to aid in the production of semen." Her fingers moved along the crevice of his rear delving between his legs to give his heavy testicles a quick caress. She smiled as she saw the muscles in his buttocks clench and bent to kiss him there. "Not that you've ever had a problem coming." 

"You keep touching me there and I'll be coming far to soon." 

"I guess I better move along then." Abbey stopped her more intimate massage. 

"Me and my big mouth," he grumbled. His complaints, however, stopped abruptly as the full body massage continued on down his legs to his feet and back, liquid fire rushing through his nerves as he felt Abbey's lips and tongue trailing over the back of his knees. He might refer to her as "sweet knees" but that tender flesh was almost as much of an erogenous zone to him as it was to her. This time as she ran her fingers up his inner thighs, she felt him shift to the side to make room for a burgeoning erection and knew that meant he was ready for stage two. 

"You can roll over onto your back now," she told him. 

"Thank God." He quickly rolled over and Abbey saw right away what had been causing his discomfort. If she loved his shape when he lay on his belly, she turned into a mass of pulse racing desire when confronted with the sheer masculinity of his frontally nude body. Flames danced across his wide chest lighting the tawny springy hair that grew there and that trailed down between his pectoral muscles to dust across his belly forming an arrow below his naval that shot straight down to the thicket of ginger curls between his thighs in the middle of which his penis stood straight out pointing at her as if demanding her attention. She bent to kiss the tip of him, feeling him jerk at the touch of her lips on his shaft – a corresponding throb beginning between her legs. Jed watched her close her thighs, clenching them tightly to ease the growing desire, and ached for the moment he would slide deeply within her. 

This time as she began her massage, she started at his feet moving up over the long muscles of his thighs to his hips, then back to his knees, studiously ignoring his arousal to the point where he held his breath every time she got close only to release it with disappointment and almost pain when she didn't touch him where he wanted and needed her most. 

Finally, she took pity on him. "Separate your legs," she told him. 

Jed did as asked, his body quivering with the excitement of what might come next, hoping her focus would move between his legs. He wasn't disappointed. Her fingers trailed up the sensitive skin of his inner thighs tickling his testicles with a brief tease before retreating. They were tight now, the heaviness gone as they pulled up close to his body with his arousal, preparing for orgasm. Unable to resist any longer, she drizzled the oil over his penis, sliding her hand up and down his satiny marble hard length while she gently nuzzled and caressed his testicles with her tongue and lips. 

"Do you remember that comedian we saw on TV who said...that if a man could lick his own balls like a dog...he'd spend all day doing so and nothing in the world would ever get done?" Jed's breath was growing quite ragged. 

"I do," she smiled against his skin. "Since you're the President I guess it's a good thing you have me to do it for you." 

"Damn good thing," he groaned. His hips began to thrust up against her hand, soft moans emanating from deep in his throat. But, when her thumb slid over the damp head of his penis and she felt the beads of liquid forming there, she stopped what she was doing and moved back down his thighs, only to start all over again, continually stopping just when he was about to come, until Jed was a reduced to nothing but one giant aching and begging need, his head tossing on the pillow, sweat breaking out on his chest and forehead his hands fisting in the sheets he lay upon. 

"Abbey, please...For the love of God...Abbey...Oh, baby please." The same words were repeated over and over in an agony of need. However, it was only when he took matters into his own hands and closed his fist over himself while she nibbled on the tender spot where his leg met his groin did she know she had pushed him as far as she could. She removed his hand from his penis and began to stroke him, gently at first, fingertips tracing his length from base to tip feeling his heartbeat in every pulse then finally closing around him and milking him in the way she knew he needed. It didn't take long; she had pushed him to his very limit. His hips stopped frantically shoving up her and suddenly the muscles of his belly and thighs tightened and his buttocks clenched fiercely as he swelled to even greater proportions in her hand. With a harsh groan, he exploded hotly over her fingers, the initial bursts pooling on his belly and chest until Abbey covered him with her hand so he wouldn't make too much of a mess. She reveled in the power of his ejaculation, no matter how many times she'd watched it happen or felt it happen inside her; it was still rather miraculous. She continued to stroke him while he came, only stopping when his orgasm was over because she knew he would be too sensitive to enjoy her touch. Lost in the force of his release, Jed lay back against the pillows breathing heavily, unable to utter more than the slightest protest when Abbey left him. 

"Don't worry." She gently pressed a kiss to his heaving chest. "I'll be right back." 

Jed closed his eyes. His body was heavy and satiated yet there was a niggling stab pricking at his conscience reminding him that Abbey's was not. He sighed with contentment as he felt her press a warm wet towel against his belly to gently and lovingly cleanse the milky seminal fluid from his groin, belly and chest. When she was finished, he reached a hand out to her stroking her thigh, burying his face into the skin exposed at her midriff where bustier did not meet panty. 

"That was incredible, Abbey. Thank you." His hand moved up her thigh to cover the lacy triangle noticing right away the dampness of her unfulfilled arousal. Feeling his finger twisting under the fabric, she looked down on him with a smile. 

"What do you think you're doing?" 

"I think that's pretty self evident. That was great but..." 

"But, what?" 

"I wish you'd given me a ride." 

"Jed, tonight was about you." 

"I know it was, and I appreciate that. I just..." He trailed off embarrassed. 

"What is it, babe? Come on, this is me. I'm your lover, you can tell me anything." 

He shrugged, embarrassed as he often was by tender emotions. It was hard to tell her just how he felt without feeling foolish or sentimental. Still, part of his therapy had been to use more than just his body to convey what he was feeling. "I feel really close to you right now. I guess I just wish I were even closer. There's something empty about not coming inside you." 

She smiled. "Your wish is my command. We don't have to be finished, you know." 

"I know YOU aren't finished, but I sure as hell am. I can barely lift my hand never mind my prick." 

"We'll see about that." 

"You did me in, woman. I'm telling you, you're in for a disappointment." 

"Oh ye of little faith." Abbey handed him his glass of scotch. "Fortify yourself. We're on to round two." 

"You're killing me here, you know...But, hell, what a way to go!" 

**** 

" _I'm gonna love you like nobody's loved you come rain or come shine._ " Abbey sang along with Ms. James while she dribbled massage oil over Jed's chest, watching it trail over his nipples and his ribs, pooling in his belly button and disappearing into his pubic hair. 

> " _High as a mountain deep as a river come rain or come shine  
>  I guess when you met me it was just one of those things   
> But don't ever bet me 'cause I'm gonna be true if you let me"_

Jed sighed as her fingers slowly massaged the muscles of his chest and shoulders, teasing his nipples with her thumbs as she continued to sing. It was incredibly erotic to watch her with her gartered pale thighs straddled over his hips, the creamy swells of her breasts thrust up and almost spilling out of her bustier while she massaged his torso and rocked her lace covered mound against his pubic bone. All the while she sang to him with that sultry voice he loved so dearly. 

> " _You're gonna love me like nobody's loved me come rain or come shine  
>  Happy together unhappy together and won't it be fine?   
> Days may be cloudy or sunny   
> We're in or we're out of the money.   
> But I'll love you always; I'm with you rain or shine._"   
>    ( _Come Rain or Come Shine_ by Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen)

With the end of the song, she climbed off him and bent to rub her cheek sensuously against his chest hair, feeling the pounding of his heart against her face. Her lips moved along his chest and she kissed his nipple then flicked the tip of her tongue against it, watching as it rose to a pointed hardened nub. She suckled him then alternating between tongue and teeth flicks that made him moan. Her fingers seemed to be everywhere, moving up and down his sides making him shiver and squirm and teasing the silky brown hair that grew under his arms before tracing a fingertip up and down the thin line of hair that ran from naval to groin. His penis lay there now in the soft nest, exhausted from the earlier workout she had given him, sweet and soft. Abbey's hand cupped over him enjoying the unique feel of him soft or hard. She took him into her mouth, a much easier task when he was soft than when he was hard and she felt the blood begin to flow as he slowly came back to life. She leisurely pleasured him, enjoying the feel of his hand tenderly stroking her hair and her cheek until he finally tugged hard on a lock of hair drawing her attention. 

"Abbey...damn, I want to be inside you." The frustration in his voice was evident, but Abbey could see that he was only halfway there, he wasn't quite hard enough to penetrate her yet. She leaned over for more oil then began massaging the flesh underneath his scrotum. She took his penis back into her mouth at the same moment she gently slipped a finger inside of him. Jed initially stiffened with a sharp intake of breath at the penetration but then immediately relaxed. Abbey knew what she was doing; having a doctor for a lover was a real added bonus at times and she'd massaged him this way before. Abbey's finger moved and she heard Jed's strangled gasp of pleasure as she found his prostate. It took only a few come hither strokes before he was completely engorged again. 

"Abbey," he moaned. The incredible intensity of pleasure from the inside and the out was overwhelming and sending him very close to the edge. 

"Good as that feels...you gotta stop, babe...I'm gonna come again." 

Abbey immediately withdrew, not wanting to defeat her purpose and while Jed caught his breath, she slipped out of the thong and bustier. When she straddled him again, she was completely naked save for her thigh high black hose. She took his erection in hand and rubbed it against her cleft letting him feel how wet she was for him, how much she wanted him, and then she sank down on him taking him deeply in the final act of completion. 

"Bloody Christ," she sighed, her eyes closing at the exquisite pleasure of being filled so completely by him. She arched her back, her long hair tickling her own bare skin and Jed's thighs and ran her hands over her breasts down her flat belly to the auburn curls between her thighs and back up again. 

Jed's eyes were focused on her swaying above him thoroughly enjoying the eroticism of watching her hands stroke her own body and the sensual pleasure that played over her face as she rocked against him. 

"You're so damn beautiful." He lifted a lethargic arm to cover her breast sliding his thumb over the taut nipple. 

After a few moments, Abbey took that hand from her breast drawing it to her mouth and sucking on his finger at the same time she writhed her hips up and down on his penis. Then, needing more than just deep penetration, she bent forward bracing her hands on each side of his head, her hair creating an intimate curtain around their faces as she kissed him, allowing him to taste himself on her tongue and lips while she moved her hips against him with more speed her breath coming in soft pants as her clit rubbed against his pubic bone each time she thrust her hips forward, taking him inside her to his hilt. Feeling her squirming against him, knowing the relief she sought, Jed slid his hand between them, his fingers finding the wet satiny flesh. He unerringly found the swollen nub of her pleasure and stroked it while thrusting up to meet her with every downward stroke she made. After only a little while, she fell against him, crushing her breasts into his chest, her teeth digging into his shoulder, whimpering and moaning as she moved frantically against him. He moved his hands to her rear, grinding her body to his in a desperate need to become one with her. Abbey's body tightened on top of him and at the first cry of her climax, he released himself as well, this time with a feeling of complete and utter abandon and fulfillment. 

**** 

The room was quiet, the music turned off. One candle still dimly lit the bed and Jed felt Abbey pull a clean sheet up over their bodies so they didn't stain the Queen's bed linens with the evidence of their night of passion. Jed couldn't remember the last time he had been this wiped out. He wasn't sure if he could move a muscle. The sense of well being and contentment and complete sensual and sexual fulfillment had him drifting off not long after his wife had joined him under the sheet. 

Abbey draped herself over Jed's back reveling in the masculine smell of his body, a combination of woodsy massage oil, tangy sweat, musky semen and just plain Jed. Of its own volition, her hand reached out to stroke his bare hip. "Jed? Jed are you sleeping?" 

"Yes," he mumbled. 

She was silent for a moment. 

"What?" 

"You said you were sleeping." 

"And you know I won't be able to fall asleep without knowing what you were about to say." 

Tears suddenly stung Abbey's eyes and her throat grew thick with emotion. "I just wanted to thank you." 

"I'm the one that should be thanking you." He rubbed his fingers over soft skin of her arm where it lay over his torso. 

"Not for tonight. For everything. I know I've said this before, but I have to say it again. I have to thank you for not giving up on me. For not letting me push you away. For sitting by my side through therapy and helping me find my way through the fear and darkness. For asking me to marry you again. For Maine and Nantucket and Ireland. And mostly," she paused, getting all choked up and having to swallow past the lump in her throat, "for giving me this summer of us. I love you very, very much." 

He turned to her, his blue eyes gone soft with tenderness, and reached out to cup her face in his hand wiping the tear that trailed down her cheek with a gentle swipe of his thumb. Last year had been the scariest year they'd ever experienced in their marriage. He'd come so very close to losing her, first physically at the whims of the terrorists who were bent on killing HER to destroy HIM, and then emotionally as the psychological ramifications of that kidnapping and the reasons behind it dealt them an even greater blow. This summer had meant a great deal to him as well. He wasn't scared anymore. He and Abbey were solid, as solid as they had ever been. And, now that they knew the only way they could truly weather any storm was to do so together, they were stronger and more united than ever. Apart just did not work for either of them. They were two halves of one whole and when separated, they were weakened, missing integral parts of what made them who they were. 

"What are you thinking?" Abbey asked seeing the suspicious shine in his eyes. 

"I'm thinking that I love you with a strength and depth and passion that will never be extinguished. You are the half that makes me whole and I promise you right here and now that I'll do my damndest to see that we always get the time to have a summer of us." 

> _You are the air I need to breathe_  
>  the river of life inside of me   
> you are the half that made me whole   
> you are the anchor of my soul 
> 
> and you are strong when I am weak   
> you are the words when I can't speak   
> you never fail to see me through   
> that's the love I found in you 
> 
> you are my shelter from the storm   
> you are the road that leads me home   
> and baby with you here face to face   
> Oh I know I've found my place 
> 
> and you are strong when I am weak   
> you are the words when I can't speak   
> you never fail to see me through   
> that's the love I found in you 
> 
> and once in every life   
> you find the one that's right   
> and when you say forever it's true   
> That's the love I found in you   
>     ( _The Love I Found in You_ by Jim Brickman)

The End! 


End file.
